Football: A Draw for Monaco in the Champions League
Dominant against Tottenham, AS Monaco did not find the net and had to settle for a draw in front of their home crowd in the Champions League
Despite a solid match and overall domination, Monaco failed to beat the English club Tottenham (0-0) this Wednesday evening, at the Stade Louis-II. Already behind in the race for qualification with only two points in three days after another draw against Manchester City (2-2 in 2nd leg), the Monegasques are currently outside the 24 virtually qualified teams.
The men of Sébastien Pocognoli, who directed his 2nd match (for as many draws) since his arrival in the Principality ten days ago, will have to do much better in Bodo, on November 4th on the most arctic synthetic pitch in the competition.
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Thilo Kehrer and his partners can, however, blame themselves, as they had so many opportunities to win this match. But the Spurs goalkeeper, Italian international Guglielmo Vicario, was perfect.
The Azuréens started the match very well: high pressure, a few opportunities on free kicks and an interesting direct play. In a 3-4-2-1 which is Pocognoli’s trademark, with Ansu Fati and Maghnès Akliouche supporting Folarin Balogun, they quickly put pressure on the opposing rearguard.
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After a strike from Fati countered (5th), London defender and captain Micky Van de Ven was beaten by Balogun who forced Vicario into a first outing at the feet of the center forward (11th).
Good entry from Golovin
This duel lasted throughout the first period. At 28th minute, at the end of a one-two with Akliouche, the American again came up against the Italian in a nice face-to-face. Then, the transalpine goalkeeper broke the stoppage of the match, lying on his left on a point-blank recovery from the ex-Gunner (36th), who was replaced at the end of the match by Mika Biereth (83rd), without having succeeded in deceiving Vicario.
If the first period was rather balanced in the game, the English were never really dangerous (only one shot on target over the entire match). Their 1000 supporters had no impact on the Frenchman Wilson Odobert, the only one trying something, and his family.
As soon as play resumed after the break, Monaco pushed even further. Akliouche struggled: he passed, defended, tried (50th). But nothing happened, despite the entries of Aleksandr Golovin (57e) and Takumi Minamino (70th), which gave a new offensive momentum.
A nice strike from the Russian forced Vicario to deploy to divert for a corner (67th). He was again vigilant on a header from Jordan Teze, as comfortable in midfield as as a right piston at the end of the game (75th). Minanimo never managed to adjust his sights, making Louis-II scream in rage three times at his failures.
Obviously still in training with its new coach, Monaco therefore failed to win against a Premier League big name. But the level of play shown and the system which seems more solid than under the orders of Adi Hütter could quickly offer a brighter tomorrow.
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