On Sunday evening, AS Monaco beat Olympique de Marseille 2-1 at the Stade Louis-II, in the closing match of the 28th round of Ligue 1. This victory allows the Monegasques to secure a seventh consecutive league win and to draw level with OM with 49 points, just one point behind Lille, who are third.
A closed but rather Marseilles-like first period
The match took some time to unfold. Monaco initially tried to inject some pace into the game through Golovin and Akliouche, but Marseille looked the more dangerous side before halftime, with several chances for Hamed Traoré, Timothy Weah, Igor Paixao, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Despite these opportunities, the two teams went into the break with the score still 0-0.
Golovin breaks the deadlock after the break.
After the break, Monaco stepped up their game. In the 59th minute, Aleksandr Golovin volleyed home a move started by Akliouche and continued by a precise cross from Jordan Teze to open the scoring. Sharper, more aggressive in the duels, and better established in Marseille's half, Monaco then took control of the match.
Hradecky decisive, Balogun knocks out OM
Monaco then relied on a decisive performance from Lukas Hradecky in goal. The Monegasque goalkeeper repelled several Marseille attempts, notably against Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Hamed Traoré, and Quinten Timber. Moments later, Folarin Balogun doubled the lead in the 74th minute with a superb lob over Geronimo Rulli after holding off CJ Egan-Riley's challenge.
Gouiri reignites the suspense, but Monaco holds firm
Marseille didn't completely collapse. In the 85th minute, Amine Gouiri reduced the deficit after a commanding run, injecting life into the final minutes. Marseille pressed until the very end, notably with a dangerous header from Medina saved by Hradecky, then a shot from Aubameyang cleared off the line by Teze. Monaco, however, held firm and secured this crucial victory.
A victory that changes everything in the standings
This victory is a huge boost for Monaco in the race for the Champions League. ASM are now level on points with Marseille and remain in close contact with LOSC, who have moved into third place. With six matchdays remaining, the battle for a podium finish looks tighter than ever…
