Following on from a forgettable home draw to FC Lorient, AS Monaco were an altogether better team in the away clash against Metz on Saturday, March 30, finding the back of the net five times to win comfortably.
The 500-odd travelling Monaco supporters did not have to wait long before the visitors started scoring, little over three minutes to be more precise. Eliesse Ben Seghir found Takumi Minamino in the box, before the Japan international scored from a tight spot to make it 0-1.
The hosts were then caught out again just minutes later on a lightning quick counter-attack, as Maghnes Akliouche ran the ball all the way up the pitch before scoring with composure to double the Monegasque’s lead at just the 9th minute.
Not showing any mercy at this early stage, the visitors returned with an even more aesthetically pleasant goal just five minutes later. Aleksandr Golovin found Vanderson with a wonderfully floated pass into the box and onto the Brazilian’s right boot to make it 0-3. Monaco enjoyed the comfortable lead well into the second half, only to make it one goal greater thanks to some very high pressing from Folarin Balogun.
The US international was fully energised having come off the bench ten minutes prior to his rather unorthodox goal, which he managed to score by getting right up to the helpless Metz goalie to make it 0-4 at the 76th minute.
Down but not yet out, Metz got two goals back in rapid succession. First it was Diallo with the tap-in at the 79th minute, and then Ibou SanΓ© with the goal to slash the Monegasque’s lead in half at the 83rd minute.
Not content with just one goal in this match, Balogun bagged his first Monaco brace with a close range finish following a corner kick at the 87th minute, bringing the final score to a tidy 2-5 to Monaco.
The three well deserved points claimed in this encounter provisionally bring Monaco up to second place in the Ligue 1 table, a more fitting place for the Principality side as they celebrate their fourth consecutive away win.
Monaco will look to consolidate this lofty spot in the championship with a positive result in the upcoming match against Rennes at the Stade Louis II on Sunday, April 7.
Featured image courtesy of AS Monaco: Folarin Balogun
