AS Monaco 2-1 OGC Nice: Monaco complete comeback victory over Nice to halt PSG's title celebrations
Monaco ascended to second place in Ligue 1 following a 2-1 comeback victory against Nice at Stade Louis II during the Derby de la Côte d’Azur, thwarting their rivals' attempt to achieve their first league double in this matchup since the 2004/05 season.
The home team had an excellent opportunity to take an early lead within the first five minutes when a poorly executed pass from visiting midfielder Benjamin Santamaria forced goalkeeper Marcin Bułka into a hurried clearance, allowing Monaco to regain possession. Santamaria then fouled Breel Embolo from behind, resulting in a penalty.
Mika Biereth, who has been in remarkable form since his transfer from Sturm Graz in January, had his penalty attempt saved by Bułka, who made a crucial intervention with his right foot as Biereth sought to capitalize on the rebound.
Shortly after, the energetic Takumi Minamino nearly put Monaco ahead with a shot that struck the crossbar. At the other end, just before the half-hour mark, Caio Henrique made a vital intervention to deny Nice’s key player, Evann Guessand.
Maghnes Akliouche then had a chance to score, but his first-time effort went directly at Bułka. Nice capitalized on Monaco's earlier missed opportunities when Jonathan Clauss delivered a precise cross that was expertly headed in by Jeremie Boga.
Encouraged by his team's first-half performance, Monaco head coach Adi Hutter opted not to make any substitutions at halftime. His decision paid off in the 55th minute when Lamine Camara's sharp pass found Akliouche, whose clever flick was finished off by Biereth, redeeming himself for the earlier penalty miss with his 12th Ligue 1 goal in just 10 appearances.
Akliouche soon had another chance to change the game's momentum after receiving a pass from Biereth, but his shot was again too close to Bułka. The match then saw referee Jerome Brisard involved in a VAR controversy, as he upheld his decision not to award a penalty for Dante’s challenge on Breel Embolo.
Embolo dismissed his earlier disappointment to net what turned out to be the decisive goal. Akliouche seized on a mistake by Dante to locate the Swiss international, who skillfully positioned himself to maintain control of the ball before striking it into the net with confidence.
Following that goal in the 73rd minute, Monaco encountered little resistance from Nice. The situation worsened for Nice when Dante received a straight red card in stoppage time for fouling Akliouche as the last defender.
As a result, Hütter’s team has accumulated 10 points from their last four matches, preparing for an upcoming match against Brest next Saturday. Meanwhile, Nice will aim to break their current three-match winless streak when they host Nantes the day before.
SportsLigue