Biereth, Ilenikhena lead rout of Nantes for Monaco
Match Reports
Needing a response after a frustrating narrow loss in the UEFA Champions League against Benfica, AS Monaco got it as they thrashed ten-man FC Nantes, 7-1, recording their third win in four Ligue 1 McDonald's matches.
Monaco stunned from the off
While they would eventually record what would be their most decisive victory in more than two years, dating to a Ligue 1 victory by the same scoreline over Ajaccio in 2023, the match started poorly for the hosts. In just the fourth minute of play, Matthis Abline was the benefactor of some sloppy play by the Monégasques at the back, being played in by Moses Simon to score his seventh goal of the season. Having only drawn two-all against Les Canaris in the reverse fixture, Adi Hütter's side would have their work cut out for them on this occasion as well.
It wouldn't take long for their task to be made easier, though, as Nantes left back Nicolas Cozza was sent off five minutes later, leaving Antoine Kombouaré's side to play more than eighty minutes with ten men. It wouldn't take long for Monaco to get the bit between their teeth, but a combination of fine play by Anthony Lopes and poor finishing by the hosts meant that the match stayed deadlocked until the 44th minute, when Mika Biereth scored with a clever finish at the near post from Takumi Minamino's cross. On the stroke of halftime, it would then be the Japanese international to turn scorer, lashing home a volley after a brilliant pass from Lamine Camara to make it 2-1 at the break.
MINAMINO DELIVERS AN ASSIST AND SCORES IN LESS THAN ONE MINUTE! 😱🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/IWXQwa6I87
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) February 15, 2025
A five-star second half
This quickfire pair of goals would be just the beginning for Monaco, though, as they quickly increased their lead after the interval, with Minamino getting another assist to set up Eliesse Ben Seghir for the teenager's first Ligue 1 goal in nearly two months. Five minutes later, Biereth had a double as some fine pressing allowed him to put his team three goals to the good with more than half an hour to play, before completing his hat trick from the penalty spot ten minutes later.
Rounding out the scoring was teenage summer signing George Ilenikhena, the 18 year-old getting a brace in the span of ten minutes, crashing home a header from Caio Henrique's cross for the first and getting on the end of a clever dipping pass by Al-Musrati to finish the scoring in stoppage time. The result leaves the Monégasques in third place in Ligue 1 McDonald's before Tuesday's second leg against SL Benfica, while Nantes will remain 15th, just outside the bottom three.
The stat: 7
Mika Biereth has scored seven goals in his first five Ligue 1 McDonald's matches, the best total in the club's history over that span.
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