Monaco eliminated on penalties by an ultra realistic Reims

Dominant but too clumsy, especially during penalties, Monaco was eliminated by an ultra realistic Reims team on Tuesday evening in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France (1-1, 3-1 tab).

For Monaco, the adventure ends even more prematurely than last year when the Principality team lost in the round of 16 on penalties against the modest FC Rouen (National).

The meeting at the Stade Auguste-Delaune, very rhythmic, came down to a duel of strong heads between teams in search of confidence.

A free kick from Reims’ Maltese captain Tedy Teuma, catapulted with a header by Ivorian defender Cédric Kipré, allowed the Champenois to open the scoring just before the break (45th).

Another defender, the Ghanaian Mohammed Salisu, equalized for Monaco with a precise header on a serve from young Danish winter recruit Mika Biereth (70th).

The Monegasque leaders ultimately proved too fragile during the penalty shootout, with three misses in front of young Reims goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf.

Monegasque excitement

With five points collected in five days of the championship, Monaco (3rd) showed all its excitement by putting a lot of pressure on the opposing defense, as intense as it is harmless.

It took less than a minute for the Rocher team to make the crowd at the Stade Auguste-Delaune break out in a cold sweat. Swiss striker Breel Embolo threw himself on a cross from Kassoum Ouattara but narrowly missed the target.

In the process, a full-axis shot from Eliesse Ben Seghir grazed the bar of Yevhann Diouf (4th).

Reims, 12th in the championship and which has won only one of its last ten Ligue 1 matches for three draws and six losses, responded with rapid counterattacks.

A shot from Japanese winger Junyo Ito grazed the left post of Philipp Kohn (6th).

Monegasque captain Thilo Kehrer intervened masterfully to remove the ball at the last minute from the head of Marshall Munetsi, ideally placed at the far post (17th).

The German defender had just come on in place of the injured Wilfried Singo, a new glitch in Adi Hütter’s Monegasque squad before the trip to Montpellier on Friday in Ligue 1 and the reception of Aston Villa on Tuesday in the Champions League.

Despite much greater possession of the ball, confining the Rémois to their own half, Monaco struggled to be dangerous.

Like these misses in the area of ​​Embolo (55th) and Takumi Minamino (60th) propelling their ball into the stands. When it wasn’t a foot or a head from Reims who repelled the opposing attacks, such as this save from the head of the scorer Kipré on a powerful shot from Lamine Camara (64th) or this save-who-can in front of the goal from Yevhann Diouf in added time.

For Monaco, the elimination could leave its mark. The Rocher team has lost five of its last six penalty shootouts in all competitions.