Three days after having conceded a draw (2-2) against Nîmes which should have turned into a victory because they had not been able to fold the score, the Stéphanois again have something to regret. Dominators of Monégasques surprisingly apathetic and reduced to ten, they were, once again, unable to force the decision.
Leaving his fit man Arnaud Nordin on the bench and starting young Gourna in the middle, with Neyou backing Bouanga, Claude Puel rotated in his attacking sector as he has become accustomed to now. Behind, it was by force of circumstance and the suspension of Moukoudi, that he launched Sow in his four-man defense, without the Cameroonian’s absence being felt.
They press high, and it works
At the same time, the Monegasques did not do much to scare the Stéphanois during the first half, except to score the first. Even led by the marvelous in-depth pass from Ben Yedder to Diop who adjusted Moulin (7th), not flawless on this one, Debuchy’s teammates had no doubts.
They continued to play their football, to press high, to chain corners and to show character. The fifth was the correct one. Aouchiche dropped the ball on the smashed head of his captain who opened his goal counter (21st).
The rest was Bouanga, very restless on the front of the attack, who took care of it.
First by being surrounded by Maripan in the box (29 ‘), before doing justice to himself from the penalty spot. An achievement that sounded like a deliverance, he who had failed his previous attempt in the last moments of the derby.
Then by causing the severe expulsion of the young Matazo (34 ‘), which singularly raised the tension on the Principality bench and in the sometimes limited engagement of the players of the Rock.
Finally awake, the Monegasques went to seek an equalizer by Volland (48th), after Gelson Martins had fun with Kolodziecjzak and Debuchy on a counter which took the defensive block from Saint-Etienne from the back.
At least they don’t lose
This is all the more infuriating as Moulin, still as reassuring in his aerial outings, was above all a spectator of the domination of his family and the exploits of his opposite.
Alternately, Kolo from the head (58th), Hamouma with a heavy shot (84th) or Debuchy (85th) could have scored the liberating goal without the saves from Mannone, who obtained a dear point.
The Greens have lost two, on the only two real Monegasque occasions. But at least they don’t lose anymore, with an unbeaten sixth game in a row, and they create chances.
They still have to be more killer in front of goal. It remains to be seen if the winter transfer window will help them in this direction, and this from the resumption against PSG on January 6.