Attractive winner of Barcelona (2-1) on the first day of the Champions League, Monaco avoided disappointment on Wednesday, October 2, by drawing (2-2) thanks to a penalty scored in the last minutes in the Dinamo field Zagreb. during the 2my day time.
Faced with this rival who had exploded on the Bayern Munich pitch (9-2) at the opening of the competition, the Principality’s players almost lost their cup, and the pitch quickly became a children’s pool due to the rains of water that fell. in the Croatian capital.
Especially since Dinamo coach Nenad Bjelica announced “another thing” about his team, the one that arrived after the humiliation suffered in Bavaria. Indeed, this was the case.
Monaco caught in counterattack
Despite a Monegasque line of five defenders (including three Frenchmen Théophile-Catherine, Bernauer and Pierre-Gabriel), associated with three very compact midfielders, Dinamo attacked strongly in front of their Kop of 6,000 ultras, who did not stop cheering. After winning an off-center free kick, Croatian number 10 Martin Baturina powered past goalkeeper Philipp Köhn. In two stages, Mohammed Salisu managed to narrowly clear this very hot first ball (4my). Center forward Bruno Petkovic then stood out, but his return to the area was unsuccessful (min. 10).my).
Although the Monegasques gradually took matters into their own hands, they only managed to create one real opportunity. A deflected shot by Maghnes Akliouche allowed Takumi Minamino to be alone against goalkeeper Ivan Nevistic, who won the duel (13my).
As pitch conditions worsened, Monaco were trapped just before half-time. In one of the many corner kicks obtained during first-half stoppage time, Baturina went on the counterattack. After falling behind, he served Petar Sucic perfectly. The midfielder then played with Caio Henrique before stealing the ball from a Köhn who was already on the ground (1-0, 45 + 3).
“A good point,” admits Hütter
Led in an improbable but logical way, as the Monegasques defended poorly in the action, coach Adi Hütter decided to accelerate the pace by bringing in George Ilenikhena and Folarin Balogun instead of Embolo and Golovin.
But it was revealed, the Croats attacked again with force. If Petkovic twice showed technical waste when he had the ball 2-0 (49my and 52my), Baturini, again, was not lost. With a lateral run with the ball at the entrance of the area, he had the opportunity to finish from the left and score (2-0, 66).my).
Hütter changed everything again with the entries of Eliesse Ben Seghir and Krepin Diatta (71my). But it was above all the mistake by goalkeeper Nevistic, too short in front of Salisu, that allowed Ghanaian Mohammed Salisu to get the Azzurées back on track (2-1, 74).my).
And then, if Dinamo’s Spaniard Raúl Torrente saved his team by clearing Minamino’s header off his line (87my), Balogun scored, after a foul by former Paris FC player Maxime Bernauer, the penalty that saved Monaco from sinking. As a coach, Denis Zakaria scored strongly (2-2, 89my).
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Record
“It’s a good point for us, admitted Adi Hütter after the meeting. I congratulate my team for their mentality. I can’t say I’m happy, it’s a good point considering the way it was taken. »
With four points on the scoreboard, the Principality’s players, who remain undefeated in eight games this season (including six victories), are in 14th position.my place of the competition, in the play-off zone, before hosting Red Star Belgrade on October 22.
