Arnaud Demmerle, Media365, published on Wednesday November 27, 2024 at 11:29 p.m.
The Monegasques, reduced to ten, nevertheless led in the 83rd minute against the Lisbon club, before losing 3-2.
With AS Monaco, matches are often a feast for the eyes, with breathtaking goals, combinations and twists. Too playful, the Principality club has the faults of its qualities and paid for its generosity and its inexperience in the Champions League against a Benfica Lisbon team, less talented but more seasoned and clever. “We need to learn to better manage our emotions,” admitted Eliesse Ben Seghir at the microphone of Canal +.
Ben Seghir finds the fault, Carreras miraculously
Attractive from the start with its offensive quartet, Monaco started the match perfectly. After two first chances from Ben Seghir (9th) and Denis Zakaria (14th), Adi Hütter's team found the fault in a textbook action. Shifted into the area, slightly to the right side by Breel Embolo, Vanderson opts for the cross shot at ground level. Anatolïï Turbin thinks to ward off the danger on his right on… Alexandr Golovin who serves intelligently in the Ben Seghir axis for the opener (1-0, 14th). The first goal in the Champions League for the Moroccan nugget. After this realization, the ASM will curiously begin to foil. The fault lies with a Benfica team which regains its senses and takes control of the game, toughening up the debates.
Wilfried Singo is very close to scoring against his side by deflecting a shot from Alvaro Carrecas (32nd). Radoslaw Majecki pulls out all the stops by winning his duel against Angel Di Maria (36th), then keeping away a shot from Turk Karem Aktürkoglu (43rd). Late on a harmless corner, the Pole was however happy to see Nicolas Ottamendi's header pass just above his crossbar (37th). A first half marked by the forgotten expulsion of Carrecas by Slovenian referee Rade Obrenovic who then lost his temper and produced four yellow cards in one minute, including three free ones for the disbelieving Monegasques (Kehrer, Singo and Zakaria).
Crazy scenario, evil Di Maria
Decisions with serious consequences since Singo will finally see red for an excess of commitment in the aerial domain against Vangélis Pavlidis (58th). In the meantime, Breel Embolo had found the post, missing the opportunity to make the break (47th). Benfica Lisbon had mainly equalized through its Greek striker, taking advantage of a disagreement between Caio Henrique and Majecki (1-1, 48th). After goals logically refused by each side for offside to Magnes Akliouche (49th) and Alexander Bah (53rd), the meeting will tend towards the irrational.
Outnumbered, the ASM will incredibly regain control of the ball. The entries into play of Christian Mawissa, Soungountou Magassa and Falorin Balogun bring freshness to their team. And like in a dream, the first delivers a cross for the second which gives his team the advantage (2-1, 67th). But the end of the meeting will turn into a nightmare for Adi Hütter's men. And the devil is called Di Maria who will remember fond memories of Ligue 1. The Argentinian, world champion, will deliver two vintage crosses for two angry headers from Arthur Cabral (2-2, 84th), then Zaki Amdouni (2-3, 88th). Infuriating, frustrating and undeserved for Denis Zakaria's partners who fell for the first time in the competition. Ranked in eighth place with ten points, they remain one unit ahead of Benfica, but the schedule does not encourage optimism to avoid the play-offs. Arsenal, Aston Villa and Inter Milan are indeed on the program. But before that, there is a trip to the Vélodrome to face OM in commando, this Sunday, December 1 (8:45 p.m.). The opportunity to see what they really have in their stomachs, for a rebound or a new disillusionment?
