The final fixture of the 2022/23 Ligue 1 season saw AS Monaco lose to 13th place Toulouse at the Stade Louis II on the evening of Saturday, June 3. The match was of the upmost importance to win for the Monegasques, who will not participate in any UEFA European tournament next season, to the disappointment of many red and white fans.
Last week, Monaco were replaced in fourth place in the table by Stade Rennais, the same team that they had just lost 2-0 to. A top five finishing place is required at the end of the season in order to qualify for European football next season, but rather painfully the Principality side dropped to sixth place and were just one goal away from climbing a place before the clock ran out.
Despite the climactic ending, the first half of the match was without fireworks, as neither team managed to get on the scoresheet. However, the pace of the match turned around in the last 45, and not in the direction that the home supporters desired.
Zakaria Aboukhlal was the first to find the back of the net, bringing Toulouse ahead by 0-1 at the 70th minute. Fortunately for Monaco, though, the magic Wissam Ben Yedder came to the rescue one last time in this season, scoring a goal of his own to bring the hosts level again just eight minutes later.
The minutes were running out in the meeting, and with a scoreline of 1-1, Monaco still needed one more goal to win and secure the three points necessary to climb back up the table. Despite the Monegasque’s best efforts and a couple of shots off the posts, it just wasn’t meant to be.
In the fourth minute of injury time Rhys Healey scored for Toulouse, bringing such a promising season to a cruel end with one strike of the ball. The scoreline stood at 1-2 to the visitors.
With matches still underway, Monaco provisionally conclude the season in sixth place and will not be competing in any EUFA tournament next season.
