AS Monaco suffered a frustrating 2-1 defeat to Montpellier at the Stade de la Mosson, despite dominating the match with 26 shots, 11 of which were on target. The setback, witnessed by club president Dmitry Rybolovlev in the stands, capped off a difficult week for the Red and Whites following their elimination from the Coupe de France earlier.
Determined to turn their fortunes around, Monaco fielded a refreshed lineup with goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki, Jordan Teze, Thilo Kehrer, Maghnes Akliouche, and Mika Biereth starting. Biereth, making his first start for the club, was supported by Eliesse Ben Seghir and Takumi Minamino in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The visitors sought to extend their strong record against Montpellier, having won their last three encounters.
Monaco started brightly, with Ben Seghir testing Montpellier’s goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte in the second minute. Despite repeated attempts by Ben Seghir, Mohammed Salisu, and Maghnes Akliouche, Lecomte produced a series of outstanding saves to keep his team in the match.
The breakthrough came in the 32nd minute when Thilo Kehrer nodded home a precise corner from Lamine Camara, marking Kehrer’s fourth goal of the season. Camara’s assist, his fourth decisive contribution, highlighted the visitors’ attacking intent. However, Montpellier responded in the second half, capitalising on a defensive error to equalise through Moussa Al-Tamari in the 55th minute.
Seeking to regain control, coach Adi Hütter introduced Caio Henrique, Vanderson, and Lucas Michal in a triple substitution. Monaco created chances to retake the lead, including a powerful header from Soungoutou Magassa that was saved by Lecomte. Despite their efforts, Montpellier struck again on a counterattack in the 82nd minute, with Al-Tamari scoring his second goal of the night.
Monaco pushed for a late equaliser, with Breel Embolo, Aleksandr Golovin, and Mika Biereth all coming close. However, Lecomte continued to frustrate his former side with crucial saves in stoppage time, securing a hard-fought victory for Montpellier.
The Monegasque’s now turn their attention to their Champions League campaign, where they will face Aston Villa at the Stade Louis-II on Tuesday, January 21. With little time to recover, the Red and Whites will need to regroup quickly and channel their efforts toward a strong performance on the European stage.