It will be necessary to count on theAS Monaco in the Champions League this season. In recent days, the idea has been spreading that the international break had cut off the legs of these Monegasques who have been so dashing since the start of the season. The players of the Principality club appeared much more busy for their return to action in Ligue 1 last Friday, during the soporific match against Lille (0-0).
But the little music of the Champions League galvanized the ASM this Wednesday. Undefeated since the start of this regular phase, Adi Hütter’s team even had the luxury of bringing down Barça in a gala match, at Louis-II (2-1). After a draw in Zagreb (2-2), she returned to her arena to host a team within her reach on paper, Red Star Belgrade. And she enforced her rank.
Monaco is revving up
The residents of Louis-II experienced a funny match in the cozy atmosphere of the Principality. Everything had changed in the right direction after Minamino opened the score, left completely alone on the edge of offside to adjust the goalkeeper of the Serbian team (1-0, 20th). But Monaco slowed down a bit and Red Star took the opportunity to get back into the match. Ndiaye transformed without trembling a penalty conceded by Kehrer, symbol of the small defensive approximations of the day in the Monegasque ranks (1-1, 27th).
The fact remains that the ASM has moved up a gear, quite clearly. Sometimes too predictable in its use of the ball, the Monegasque attack ended up taking the upper hand just before the break thanks to Embolo (2-1, 45th+4). A saving goal for the Swiss, who was lacking in confidence. An advantage capitalized after the break by a much more consistent second half.
The prize of the day was won by Singo, whose missile from 30 meters found the back of the net (3-1, 54th). In a last half hour where the Red Star completely turned off the lights, Monaco even added to the score with the classy Minamino, who scored his double (4-1, 70th). Very lively, Akliouche closed the festival with a curling shot from the left (5-1, 90th+5). A lesser evil for a team which has been under pressure, and ends a match with more than 20 shots and 5 goals by playing its real game every other half. The ASM resumes its march forward.
