Monaco and Sofiane Diop win the battle of Troyes – SO FOOT

ESTAC 1-2 AS Monaco

Goals: Aguilar (CSC, 51^e) for ESTAC // S. Diop (40^e & 58^e) for ASM

It was not easy, but AS Monaco did it, finally. Niko Kovač’s men pocketed the first victory of their 2021-2022 Ligue 1 season on the lawn of Troyes. As against PSG in the opening match, ESTAC is not at all unworthy, but the result is the same: a 2-1 defeat, synonymous with last place retained in the general classification despite offensive intentions and a good show. For its part, Monaco can salute the performance of a man: Sofiane Diop, determining to register a double and finally remove this evil eye just before the international break. Could this be the start of a positive spiral on the Rock?

Tchouaméni, the handyman

There are trips that count more than others in a season. This week, AS Monaco had a bitter experience in Donetsk. To recover from their Ukrainian quack and their premature exit in C1, the Asemists wish to take advantage of their return to France to finally unlock the championship victory counter. Faced with a playful Trojans team, the show is quickly there: on a corner, Gelson Martins misses the frame on a deflection of the head of Aurélien Tchouaméni (13^e). Step by step, the recent one called to the Blues demonstrates that it is in a sparkling form: its delicious coiled strike finds the square of Gauthier Gallon (18^e). The tone is set, Monaco is not in the Aube for tourism.

The pressure from the visitors is increasing, Martins hangs in the box with Yoann Salmier on a cross from Caio Henrique, but the referee does not flinch (27^e). In a small space, Wissam Ben Yedder manages to release a point that ends in the gloves of Gallon (33^e). Sterile domination, really? No, Ben Yedder does not agree and goes to the limit of offside on an opening of the Tchouaméni phenomenon. Altruistic, the captain of the ASM offers a caviar to Diop for a deserved opening of the score (40^e, 0-1). Valorous in the game, but not precise enough in the finish, ESTAC tries its luck from afar, but Rominigue Kouamé sends his volley in the clouds (44^e). For Laurent Batlles, the time to find a way to get back to the score has arrived.

The grace of Diop

When the locker room returned, the answer was not long in coming since Giulian Biancone sent a wrapped shot on the left post of Alexander Nübel (48^e). The promoted continues his regain of form, and on a distant free kick, Ruben Aguilar plays bad luck by propelling his lobed head under the bar of Nübel (51^e, 1-1). This is the second home goal in just four days for the Monegasque defender, enough to make him red with anger and force his team to stay focused on the opposing goal. So much the better: Youssouf Fofana thwarts Kouamé’s plans and serves in depth Diop for a double (58^e, 1-2). The match ignites, and Gallon pulls out all the stops in front of Ben Yedder, then Diop to avoid the break (59^e). Troyes does not abdicate, and Mama Baldé gives a hard time to the players of the Rock (70^e, 74^e), just like Renaud Ripart whose recovery is slammed by Nübel (88^e). Monaco sweated, but this time Monaco won.

Troyes (3-4-2-1): Gallon – Y. Salmier, Giraudon, El Hajjam (Azamoum, 71^e) – Biancone (Lumeka, 78^e), Tardieu, R. Kouamé, Ripart – M. Baldé (B. Domingues, 78^e), Chambost (I. Kaboré, 55^e) – Touzghar. Coach: Laurent Batlles.

AS Monaco (4-2-3-1): Nübel – Henrique, Badiashile (Matsima, 76^e), Maripán (Disasi, 66^e), Aguilar – Tchouaméni, Y. Fofana – S. Diop (Jakobs, 87^e), J. Lucas (Isidor, 65^e), G. Martins (Matazo, 87^e) – Ben Yedder. Coach: Niko Kovač.