A patient AS Monaco wins in Strasbourg thanks to its Academy

Long without success in front of the Alsatian goal, the Rouge et Blanc ended up finding the solution thanks to youngsters from the Academy to win in Strasbourg (0-1). It was their fifth win in six away matches, and one which sees them move into third place.

AS Monaco win again! Patient against a very compact Strasbourg, the Rouge et Blanc finally found the breakthrough, thanks to a goal by (0-1), under the eyes of President Dmitry Rybolovlev, who was present in Alsace. ✍️

The context 📅

Winners in Lens (2-3) on their last trip away from home, and authors of a solid display against Paris Saint-Germain at home (0-0), our Rouge et Blanc wanted to continue. For their part, the RCSA has not yet found the path to victory in the league in 2024. They are the only Ligue 1 team for whom this is the case, but we needed to be wary, because the Alsatians had won 39% of their matches against AS Monaco in La Meinau.

The XI 👥

For this match, Adi Hütter decided to play almost they same eleven as against PSG, with one exception. Denis Zakaria made his return to midfield after his one-match suspension. At the back, the Maripán-Kehrer partenership started again, as did Balogun and Ben Yedder in attack.

The scenario 🎞

The kick-off was given in a sold-out Meinau with more than 400 Monegasque fans in the away end. After a round of observation, the first chance came before the quarter of an hour of play with Folarin Balogun’s volley from Wilfried Singo’s first-time cross (11′) with a response from Dilane Bakwa through a curling shot that narrowly missed the target (12′).

Plenty of chances, but no finishing

Radoslaw Majecki then saw Emanuel Emegha’s header from a corner go wide (19′), but had to work to get out in front of Bakwa, who went in alone on goal (23′). The Alsatians had chances, but could not get their efforts on target, like Habib Diarra (35′). There was no more luck for Balo’ at the other end, who had an effort on the turn (37′), not for Junior Mwanga, who tried his luck without success from 20 meters (41′).

Balogun isn’t precise enough, Singo is dangerous

Ultimately, it was the American striker who pushed Alaa Bellaarouch to making a fine save on his line, with the first shot on target of the match (43′). The debates resume as they began, with a first chance for Folarin Balogun on a good ball in behind by Taki’, but it was blocked (53′)! It was too bad, as on the following corner where a header by our AFCON champion was also kept out by the Alsatian goalkeeper (54′).

The Academy to the rescue!

Feeling that  breakthrough was close, Adi Hütter decided to make a triple change, with the entries of Jakobs, Akliouche and Ben Seghir. It would prove a winning bit of coaching, since in a well-constructed action, the first offers a decisive pass for the second, who scored into the opposite corner (0-1, 7′)! It was a 100% #MadeInLaDiagonale, goal, and Eliesse’s fifth in Ligue 1 along with Maghnes’ third assist in the league.

A move on to the podium in a successful 200th match for Golo’

The Rouge et Blanc wanted more, though, as evidenced by Aleksandr Golovin (75′ and 77′). Then Strasbourg tried to react, but remained clumsy in front of the goal of Radeck Majecki (80′), who was decisive on a strike from the subsititute Ali Abdallah (81′). Then the hosts seemed to drop physically, and Ben Seghir (85′) and then Kehrer with a header, tried to take advantage (88′).

This gap was ultimately sufficient for the Rouge et Blanc, who patiently won in Alsace (0-1). It was a fifth win in six matches away from home for the 200th match of Golo’, and it allowed AS Monaco to remain in third place in Ligue 1, moving just a point behind Brest. DAGHE MUNEGU! 🇲🇨

Key moments 🎥

11′: A cross from Singo for Balogun who sees his volley go off target
12′: Bakwa curls a shot over the crossbar
19′: Emegha has a header at the near post from a corner
23′: Bakwa has a chance from a ball over the top but is denied by a good move by Majecki
35′: A shot from Diarra flies over the goal
37′: A strike on the turn by Balogun just misses the post
41′: Mwanga’s attempt from 20 meters is off target
43′:  A big save by Bellaarouch on a nice strike from Balogun
45th+2′: Minamino’s shot from 16 meters is blocked
53′: A cutback from Minamino for Balogun is blocked
54′: Singo’s header is punched clear by Bellaarouch on a Golovin corner
73′: Akliouche plays in Ben Seghir who finishes perfectly (0-1)
75′: An off target shot from Golovin from the edge of the area
77′: A free kick from Golovin is captured by Bellaarouch
80′: Ali’s half-volley goes wide of the Monegasque top corner
81′: Majecki saves Ali’s shot
85′: Ben Seghir’s strike is deflected for a corner
86′: A header from Kehrer at a corner is punched clear by Bellaarouch

The stat 📊

With these three new points brought back from Strasbourg, AS Monaco have now picked up 25 points this season away from home. The Rouge et Blanc thus occupy second place in the away table, just behind… Paris Saint-Germain (28).

📋 Match details:

Sunday March 10 – Stade de La Meinau

Ligue 1 – Matchday 25: RC Strasbourg 0-1 AS Monaco 

Halftime: 0-0

Goals: Ben Seghir (73′) for AS Monaco

Strasbourg: Bellaarouch – Guilbert ©, Doukouré (Sebas, 79′), Perrin, Sow, Delaine (Ali, 79′) – Mwanga (Senaya, 68′), Sissoko, Diarra, Bakwa – Emegha