AS Monaco’s elimination from the Champions League confirmed that, if they are to qualify for European football next season, they must do so through their league finish. Sébastien Pocognoli’s men set about that task by registering a 2-0 win over Angers on Saturday.
Pocognoli said that Monaco had “won the respect of France and of all of Europe,” despite elimination at the hands of reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain in midweek. As they did in the first leg, the Principality club played much of the encounter with a man disadvantage, with Mamadou Coulibaly sent off for a very contestable quickfire double booking at the Parc des Princes. Despite that, Monaco salvaged a draw on the night (2-2) and could have sent the game to extra time, had Wout Faes finished his late chance.
Attention firmly returned to Ligue 1, but not all the eyes that were on the midweek game in Paris would follow, naturally. Les Monégasques have often been up for the big occasion, but it is this type of game, the ones against more lowly opponents, ones they should be winning, that they have faltered.
“False red card” proves the “turning point”
But as Pocognoli stated, there is little margin for error now, given that Monaco’s only means of qualifying for Europe next season is by closing the gap to the European places. “Use this frustration for the end of the season,” Pocognoli urged in his team-talk after Wednesday night’s elimination. It wasn’t channelled in the first 45 minutes, one devoid of intensity and intention. There was a lethargy that mirrored the general ambience, one nonetheless improved thanks to the ultras’ decision to end their strike. They had boycotted the first 45 minutes in recent weeks, but they were in good voice from the start and were applauded by the rest of the stadium when they broke into a chant in the first minute.
A sense of togetherness returned, but on the pitch, it felt as though there were just individuals. There was a lack of coherence, and logically, Monaco struggled to create chances. Their one clear sight of goal fell to Lamine Camara, who lacked the composure to finish when put through by Aladji Bamba – the one bright spark of the first half performance. Angers, who had little of the ball but nonetheless remained ambitious by constantly leaving two attackers on the last line of the Monégasque defence, had two chances of their own. Prosper Peter provoked the first stop of the half, with Philipp Kohn up to the task. The Swiss goalkeeper saw the ball flash just wide of his far post moments later, with Yassin Belkhdim failing to hit the target.
Pocognoli could have made several changes at half-time. He made just one, that of Simon Adingra, but it was effective. Two minutes into the second half, Monaco finally registered their first shot on target through Ansu Fati, easily saved by Oumar Pona, making his Ligue 1 debut and already booked for time-wasting in the 45th minute.
But the game was once again punctuated by a warning shot from Le Sco. It was Belkhdim who was once again put in on goal. He would find the target with his shot this time, but would not beat Kohn. Then came what Angers manager Alexandre Dujeux would call the “turning point” of the match, Belkhdim’s “false red card”. The Angers forward was initially shown red before the decision was overturned on VAR. But relief quickly turned to regret. “It is a shame that we weren’t efficient because we could have led, and it would have been a different match,” said Dujeux.
Just seconds after Belkhdim’s reprieve, Monaco got their opener. It was Aleksandr Golovin’s shot that was saved, parried out to Jordan Teze, whose cross found the head of Folarin Balogun. The USMNT forward’s header hit Ousmane Camara, was deflected back his direction and then ricocheted off Balogun again and into the back of the net. A scruffy goal but a crucial one, as it paved the way for a second and a serene end to the encounter.
Monaco with “belief” and looking for “revenge”
It was the substitute Adingra, who had stretched the game to make space for others, and who got in on the act, cutting in and curling a sublime effort into the bottom corner from outside the box. Thereafter, chances were limited for both sides, but Monaco, in any case, never looked like opening the door for an Angevin revival.
Pocognoli praised his side’s “patience”, having come up against a more defensive-minded side than he had anticipated. “We didn’t expect to play against five at the back. We had to adjust,” said Pocognoli. That adjustment was incarnated by Adingra, once again excellent, who, in Dujeux’s words, pushed his full-backs deeper into their own third, giving Monaco’s other creative players more room to operate – decisive coaching from Pocognoli reaping rewards again.
Having languished in mid-table just weeks ago, Monaco are provisionally just three points behind the Champions League places. “We have to have ambition,” said Pocognoli post-match. “In the last six matches (in Ligue 1, during which they are unbeaten), we are moving in the right direction. “But there are other teams in our situation, too. There will be six-pointers, and we will have to respond.”
Next up? None other than PSG. Wth Bamba talking about seeking “revenge” post-match, the encounter is perfectly poised. “We need to keep our feet on the ground,” said Pocognoli, but Monaco can once again have belief, and having already drawn at the Parc des Princes once this season, his side will head there with plenty of it.
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Photo source: AS Monaco
