AS Monaco gets the Centenary season off to an ideal start against Les Verts | OneFootball

Patient to open the scoring through Takumi Minamino, the Rouge et Blanc then managed to finally win for their first of the 2024-2025 season against Saint-Etienne (1-0).

It was a great win to start the Centenary season! In a packed Stade Louis-II, AS Monaco perfectly negotiated the first day of Ligue 1 McDonald’s by imposing itself with authority against Saint-Etienne (1-0). It was a great return to action, which took place under the eyes of President Dmitry Rybolovlev. ✍️

The context 📅

The Rouge et Blanc approached this first match of the 2024-2025 season with ambition, building on their success in the last preseason match against Barcelona (0-3), in the Trophée Joan Gamper. The objective was to do as well as they had last season against Clermont, to get this centenary season off on the right foot.

We expect them to play 4-3-3 with Sissoko up front, a solid striker to whom they play long balls. We will certainly have more possession and will have to find solutions to keep them under pressure, while playing our style of play.

The eleven 👥

To meet this first challenge, Adi Hütter therefore decided to play the same starting eleven as he had  in Catalonia, with Kehrer and Salisu in defence, Camara and Zakaria in midfield, and the Embolo-Balogun duo in attack. A bronze medalist, Eliesse Ben Seghir would start on the left wing.

The scenario 🎞

The match began in an incandescent atmosphere and after a standing ovation for the medalists, with more than 14,000 spectators present in the stands of the Stade Louis-II! It was a boiling context which immediately pushed Vanderson to try to find Folarin Balogun at the back post, whose effort was pushed back by a superb save by Gautier Larsonneur (5′). Les Verts responded, but Philipp Köhn perfectly kept out Abdelhamid’s header (10′) before Sissoko missed one of his own (17′).

Maestro Taki’ gets the season underway!

A few minutes of confusion followed, when VAR cancelled a goal for Takumi Minamino (21′), then that of the Saint-Etienne striker (24′), both for offside. The pace quickened and the Monaco number 9 was close to scoring the opening goal (26′). But it was written that Taki’ was going to be the first scorer of the season at the Stade Louis-II, like last year, with a sublime lob from the edge of the area (1-0, 28′)! What a goal…

Köhn is decisive on his line

The Rouge et Blanc dominated but relied on Philipp Köhn who was once again sharp against Sissoko (35′). The break came with the same score, but as soon as the teams returned from the locker room , the Monaco goalkeeper was again called into action by Mathieu Cafaro (56′). It was a shot without consequence, before a new intervention of VAR, on a penalty awarded to Eliesse Ben Seghir and finally denied (59′).

The remarkable return of Maghnes

The pace dropped slightly, but a shiver runs through the Stade Louis-II on a first ball from Maghnes Akliouche, who found Minamino back, but the latter stumbled against Larsonneur (71′). Then shortly thereafter Sissoko thought he had equalized, before VAR intervened again to annul a goal for the third time (72′). The Rouge et Blanc then managed the end of the match and George Ilenikhena was even close to scoring his first goal at home (86′).

The score ultimately remained there and AS Monaco won with a serious display against Saint-Etienne at the Stade Louis-II, for its first match of the season. It was a great way to start the centenary season. DAGHE MUNEGU! 🇲🇨

Key moments 🎥

5′: Vanderson crosses to the far post for Balogun  but Larsonneur gets in the way 10′: Abdelhamid’s header is slammed by Köhn over the crossbar 17′: Sissoko’s powerful shot goes wide 21′: Minamino’s goal disallowed for offside 24′: Sissoko’s goal is disallowed this time, again for offside 26′: Balogun’s curling shot flirts with the right post 28′: ​​Minamino’s sublime lob opens the scoring (1-0) 35′: Köhn saves a shot from Sissoko 39′: N’Zuzi’s curling shot goes wide 47′: Minamino’s powerful shot goes wide 56′: Cafaro’s curling shot is pushed away by Köhn 59′: Penalty awarded by Mr. Turpin then cancelled by VAR 65′: A shot by Cafaro is caught by Köhn 71′: Minamino stumbles against Larsonneur who pushes his effort away with a firm hand 72′: Goal disallowed by VAR for Sissoko 86′: Ilenikhena is found by Akliouche but his shot grazes the post 94′: A shot by Magassa is pushed away by Larsonneur

📋 Match details:

Saturday, August 17 – Stade Louis-II

Ligue 1 – Matchday 1: AS Monaco 1-0 Saint-Etienne

Halftime: 1-0