In a tense and hard-fought match, AS Monaco was able to win in the final minutes of play against Bologna (1-0), thus securing a crucial victory which strengthens its position in the Top 8 of the Champions League . A look back at a meeting marked by the deliverance of Thilo Kehrer and a close success.
AS Monaco came close to defeat before securing a valuable victory against Bologna, which proved decisive for their qualification for the Champions League play-offs. After going through a difficult period in the league with two defeats in a row, the Principality club did not miss the opportunity to consolidate its place among the eight best teams in its group.
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Thanks to this success, the Monegasques now have 10 points and are getting closer to the play-offs, while remaining undefeated in the competition.
Monaco dominates but Bologna resists
The Renato-Dall'Ara Stadium saw two teams with contrasting backgrounds compete under the eyes of Dmitri Rybolovlev, President of AS Monaco, who first encouraged the young players in the Youth League in the afternoon (match draw, 0-0).
The meeting began with a first alert coming from the Bolognese attack. Juan Miranda tried his luck in the 9th minute, but his shot flew over the Monegasque goal. However, AS Monaco quickly responded: in the 15th minute, Breel Embolo appeared alone against goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski after a magnificent oriented control, but his shot was repelled by the post.
Despite the Monegasque domination, the opportunities were rare and came up against the vigilance of the Bolognese goalkeeper. The first real blow came in the 19th minute, when Wilfried Singo appeared to score the first goal of the game from a corner. After an intervention by the VAR, the referee canceled the achievement, signaling a foul by Singo on the Bologna goalkeeper.
A few minutes later, Aleksandr Golovin, on a free kick, thought he had found the fault, but Skorupski narrowly deflected the ball onto the crossbar.
A second period under high tension
As the match approached its conclusion, the intentions remained clear: the Rocher club wanted to force the decision. The Red and Whites still dominated, but struggled to realize their chances. In the 39th minute, Bologna thought they had taken the lead with a Santiago Castro strike, but the Argentine striker was flagged offside after a wait that was far too long to be valid.
The tension then rose a notch, but the Rocher club seemed in control. Just before half-time, Maghnes Akliouche was presented with a good chance to score, but again, Skorupski intervened brilliantly.
Returning from the locker room, the dynamic did not change much, even if Bologna sought to counter more. Despite a few attempts by the locals, such as a strike from Giovanni Fabbian well captured by Radoslaw Majecki (55th), the match seemed to be heading towards a sad draw. But in a moment of collective uncertainty, the deliverance came from a corner.
Thilo Kehrer, hero of the meeting
In the 87th minute, on a final corner hit by Aleksandr Golovin, captain Thilo Kehrer found himself alone at the far post. The German international, author of a good season, did not hesitate to push the ball into Skorupski's net with a firm right foot.
This goal, a saving grace for Adi Hütter's team, allowed AS Monaco to win 1-0, becoming the first team to win on Bologna in European competition. This victory at the end of the match symbolized the Monegasques' ability to overcome difficulties, a trait which now seems to be unique to them.
Adi Hütter's reactions
Regarding Kehrer's goal in the final minutes of the game: “ A match lasts 90 minutes and when you score in the last moments, it can always be a bit lucky. But when we look at the scenario of the match, I think we deserve to take the three points, especially when we look at our first half which was good. We were then solid in the second to prevent Bologna from creating chances.
We now have ten points from four games, which is an important step in this race for the play-offs. I'm happy that Thilo, as captain, scored this important goal to take the three points. Breel is also a leader in this young team, so I'm happy today ».
His feeling after this victory: “ As a coach, the most important thing was to see a reaction after the defeat against Angers. This was fantastic, we showed that we were capable of playing fast football in the first half. We must not forget that we have one of the youngest teams in the competition, so I am proud of what they showed tonight ».
Can his team aim for the Top 8? : “ It's true that we are in the top positions in the standings but we are fully focused on the next match in Strasbourg. I don't know if we can talk about Top 8 because the Champions League has a new format this season and no one knows exactly how many points are needed to move on to the next round.
The next four opponents will be tough (Benfica, Arsenal, Aston Villa et Inter Milan) but we will be able to play with more confidence. I know that we will be able to win the next match even if we are against a good team, as was the case with Bologna this evening ».
A perfect start to the season in Europe
With this victory, AS Monaco secured an enviable place in its group, rising to 10 points and taking third place. A more than encouraging result for the rest of the European campaign. This performance in the Champions League is all the more impressive when we consider that AS Monaco remained undefeated after its first four matches (two wins and a draw), its best start to a season in this competition.
The Monegasque club also became the first French team after Paris Saint-Germain to total 10 points in the first four Champions League matches, a performance that Olympique Lyonnais achieved in 2009-2010. With this success, the Prince's club has moved closer to the precious sesame for the play-offs, a decisive step which could mark a turning point in this European season.
Forward, despite the obstacles
Five days before the trip to Strasbourg for the 11th day of Ligue 1, AS Monaco, on the strength of this victory in the Champions League, should now continue to raise its head after two consecutive defeats in the championship. This success in Bologna was therefore undoubtedly the turning point needed to relaunch the Monegasque machine and allow the group led by Adi Hütter to continue to dream in Europe.
