Champions League: AS Monaco thrash Red Star Belgrade 5-1
AS Monaco returned to winning ways by empathically defeating Red Star Belgrade 5-1 after drawing with LOSC Lille at the weekend.
The Match
Under the eyes of President Dmitry Rybolovlev, Adi Hutter selected a superb side for this important encounter, knowing how vital claiming all three points was.
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The game started briskly with both teams unleashing early attempts through Eliesse Ben Seghir and Peter Olayinka. ASM then kept up the pressure and were eventually rewarded when Takumi Minamino gave them the lead in the 20th minute.
Their lead didn’t last long, however, for the away team quickly got back on level terms through Cherif Ndiaye’s penalty.
While Les Monegasques were largely in control, they were still given plenty to think about due to Red Star’s threat in transition. But Les Rouge et Blanc were next to strike, as Breel Embolo powered them back ahead just prior to the interval.
The chances continued to flow in the second stanza, with Maghnes Akliouche and Caio Henrique firing off efforts before Wilfried Singo made his shot count, finding the back of the net in style with a long-range screamer.
Monaco maintained the pressure and looked dangerous every time they entered the final third. Although VAR and the woodwork denied them, there was no stopping Minamino from making it 4-1.
Closing the game with a further assault on the Red Star goal, it was only fitting that Akliouche got his name on the scoresheet to cap off an outstanding victory, in a game that marked the first time since 2004 (vs. Deportivo La Coruna) that ASM had scored five goals in a Champions League fixture.
Hutter’s Debrief
“First of all, I would like to congratulate my team for this great victory and the level shown in the second half. It is true that we missed a few chances and I think the result is not too harsh. I am really happy with this second home victory. I am proud and very happy with my players and their performance,” reflected the Austrian tactician.
“As a coach, there are always things to criticise, especially in the first half. We created a lot of chances, scored five goals and I think it was a perfect second half. We also saw that when we are not fully focused, any team can score. That’s what happened. In the first half, Red Star played a clean game, but the difference was huge afterwards.”
Key Stats
By the numbers, the fact ASM held the ascendancy in terms of expected goals (3.33 to 1.01), total shots (27 to 5), shots on target (8 to 2), shots inside the box (18 to 4), big chances created (6 to 1), possession (70% to 30%) and touches inside the box (33 to 13) punctuated their dominance.
Derby Awaits
Still undefeated in 10 games this campaign, next up for ASM is the colossal derby with OGC Nice at the Allianz Riviera, where they’ll be eyeing another accomplished victory following this latest sparkling Champions League performance.