After recovering its place as runner-up behind Paris Saint-Germain, AS Monaco plunged back into the daily bread of Ligue 1 with an enticing display against Stade Brestois. A special match between two teams engaged on the European scene.
Adi Hütter and Eric Roy were therefore faced with a dilemma, a few days before a new deadline in this regular phase of the Champions League. And the two technicians had a strong choice by relying on their executives to constitute a very competitive eleven. The Golovine-Akliouche-Ben Seghir-Embolo quartet started at the forefront in the ranks of the ASM, which also found its hub Zakaria in the middle. Opposite, Brest could rely on its strong forces like Lees-Melou, Magnetti, Del Castillo and Ajorque.
Monaco ensures
In this balance of power, it was the Monegasques who took the upper hand. More effective in the two zones of truth, Adi Hütter’s men made the difference thanks to their astonishing Akilouche-Ben Seghir duo. Put into orbit by the Moroccan international, the French Olympic vice-champion triggered a perfect recovery to break the deadlock very early in this match (1-0, 5th).
Monaco managed this advantage rather well. Akliouche could have doubled the lead but his shot hit the post a few minutes later. The Monegasques managed to take cover through Golovin, whose cross shot hit the mark (2-0, 24th).
The rest got lively, and the two teams responded to each other from one end of the meadow to the other. Embolo could have added to the cost for the Monegasques, but the Brestois also reacted through Sima, author of a well-aimed header (2-1, 50th). Without consequence for the Monegasques who finally resisted in the last half hour, especially since Brest lost their playmaker Lees-Melou to injury. Akliouche sealed the Monegasque victory in stoppage time (3-1, 90th+1), despite another late reaction from Ajorque (3-2, 90th+6). Monaco is back on par with Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the rankings. Brest continues to tread water in the second half of the table before another enchanted parenthesis in the Champions League.
