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Champions League: Eliminated by Benfica, Monaco can have regrets

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Ligue des champions : éliminé par le Benfica, Monaco peut nourrir des regrets

Two poorly cleared balls, a penalty against the run of play and AS Monaco say goodbye to the Champions League. The Monegasques leave the Estadio de la Luz in Lisbon with regrets, having been unable to do better than a draw (3-3). A result against Benfica that deprives them of the Champions League round of 16.

The club from the Rock had nevertheless arrived determined to shake the Lisbon fortress, where a French team had never won. After a scare at the start and a free kick from Schjelderup caught by Majecki (1st), the Monegasques took matters into their own hands. Akliouche served Embolo but the Swiss procrastinated and was stopped by Trubin. Ben Seghir recovered but shot into the side netting (4th). A few minutes later, Minamino adjusted a cross controlled by Diatta, who followed up with a half-volley. Trubin pushed back again (7th).

Goals against the run of play

The Principality's players then seemed to have the match in hand. But a mistake by Wilfried Singo, who started for his return from injury, would prove costly. He dropped the ball in the face of Barreiro's pressure. Pavlidis recovered, dribbled past Kehrer and crossed for Aktürkoglu who finished (22nd, 1-0). AS Monaco was stunned.

Benfica tried to push their advantage but the Monegasques finally came to their senses. Embolo headed Diatta's cross but hit the post (32nd). In the same minute, he resisted the defenders' charges to serve Minamino. The Japanese did not need to look up to know where the goal was. He equalized (32nd, 1-1).

Monaco is doing better. Monaco is pushing but Monaco can't find the gap, not helped by the clumsiness of Breel Embolo. Served by Akliouche after a lightning counterattack, the striker misses a golden opportunity to take the lead just before half-time by sending the ball well over (45th).

The second half started on the same lines. Ben Seghir infiltrates the defense and tries a sharp and powerful shot. Trubin is forced to pull out a nice cuff to deflect for a corner (46th). Monaco is finally rewarded for its total domination. On the left side, Akliouche, very much in form since the start of the match, overflows and crosses for Embolo. The latter leaves for Ben Seghir, who deceives Trubin (51st, 1-2).

A crazy end to the match

Aware that the match was slipping away from them, the Portuguese fans began to whistle their players while coach Adi Hutter brought on Biereth in place of Embolo in an attempt to seal the match. But as Monaco headed towards extra time or better, a penalty awarded in favour of Benfica after a foul by Kehrer put the Portuguese back in the game (76th, 2-2).

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The start of a rain of goals. Ilenikhena scores on his first ball for his Monaco. He imposes himself against Otamendi and rushes towards Trubin before adjusting him with a powerful strike (81st, 2-3). But Benfica takes advantage of yet another poorly cleared ball to equalize again thanks to Kokcu (83rd, 3-3)

Despite the madness and a penalty cancelled by VAR, the score remains there. AS Monaco remains stranded in the Champions League and will not see the round of 16 for the eighth consecutive year. Given the scenario, the Monegasques have only themselves to blame this year.

Auteur: France 24
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Comments

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    Défenseur il y a 2 mois

    Et pourtant ils ont tellement bien démarré la saison. Il défaillance !

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