Even playing away from home, at the Stade Saint-Symphorien, Monaco took no notice of Metz and won this Saturday’s game 5-2. The goals in the match valid for the 27th round of the French Championship were scored by Minamino, Akliouche, Vanderson, former Grêmio player, and Balogun (2), for the visitors, and Diallo and Sane, for the home team.
With the triumph, the visiting team momentarily takes second place in the table, with 49 points. The team could lose its position if Stade Brestois wins the round. Metz, in turn, continues with 23 points, occupying 17th place and being second to bottom.
Monaco’s next challenge is scheduled for the next Sunday, in a duel against Rennes, for the French Championship. Metz returns to the field on the same day, in the same tournament, but against Stade Brestois.
The game
It didn’t take long for Monaco to open the scoring. Three minutes into the opening half, Ben Seghir, from the left, crossed low into the area towards Minamino. The Japanese dominated and spun into the back of the net.
Akliouche doubled the score for the visitors six minutes later, at nine. The attacking midfielder counted on a passing error when the Metz team left the game, stole the ball and headed towards the goal. He swung over the last marker, invaded the area and shot across to score the team’s second.
Vanderson, a former Grêmio full-back, scored Monaco’s third in the 15th minute. He received a beautiful throw from Golovin and, from the right, hit a first-time cross to fill the net.
The fourth goal came 30 minutes into the second half, following a mistake by goalkeeper Oukidja. He tried to play with his heel, but Balogun put pressure on the archer and intercepted the pass. The ball bounced off the attacker and stopped in the back of the goal.
Metz’s response came just two minutes later, at 32. The team exchanged passes around the area until the ball reached Kouao on the right. He crossed low and saw Diallo reduce the score.
There was still time for the home team to score the second. In the 38th minute, Kouao was launched from the right, crossed once again into the area and Sane, free from marking, only had the job of pushing it into the net.
The goals conceded did not shake the Monaco team, who scored the fifth goal in the 42nd minute. Kehrer took advantage of a corner kick, headed the ball backwards and Balogun intercepted the defender to find the back of the net and close the score.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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