It was an up and down weekend for Monaco’s leading basketball and football teams, with a mixed bag of results for the Roca Team contrasting sharply with AS Monaco’s epic 2-5 win against FC Metz.
AS Monaco Basket’s EuroLeague game against Asvel on Thursday 28th March was an away fixture at the LDLC Arena.
Despite an 11-point deficit at one point, the team, guided by Coach Sasa Obradovic, turned the game around to secure an 77-87 win. This is the team’s 10th consecutive victory against the Lyon-based side.
“The fourth quarter is the way we need to play, especially defensively,” said Obradovic post-game, emphasising the importance of the Roca Team’s defensive strategy and the crucial role it played in their eventual victory.
The win has helped solidify AS Monaco’s position within the Top 3 of the EuroLeague standings and keep their playoff aspirations well within reach.
However, the team’s fortunes were reversed in the Betclic Elite arena on Saturday 30th March, when the Roca Team came up against Saint-Quentin in the Palais des Sports Pierre-Ratte.
It was a heartbreaking defeat that concluded with a last-second score, and the Rouges et Blancs only narrowly missed out on success, with a final tally of 71-69.
This marks their third defeat of the season in the French domestic league.
“We conceded a lot of defensive errors, and this lack of skill is costing us dearly,” Captain Yakuba Ouattara acknowledged, signalling the need for adjustments as the team looks ahead.
AS Monaco cements position in Ligue 1 standings
Switching gears to football, AS Monaco triumphed over FC Metz with a 2-5 victory on Saturday 30th March at the Stade Saint-Symphorien.
The victory in Ligue 1 temporarily boosted AS Monaco to second place in the league, behind Paris Saint Germain. However, their rivals for the coveted spot, Stade Brestois 29, made a comeback to claim an extra point over the Monegasque side the following day.
Folarin Balogun delivered a standout performance, scoring twice, with earlier goals coming from Takumi Minamino, Maghnes Akliouche and Vanderson.
Wilfried Singo, a defending player for Les Monégasques, reflected on the team’s preparedness, saying, “We fought hard, and finally we came away with a big victory.”
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Photo credit: asmonaco.basketball