BREST:
AS Monaco were unable to build on their impressive victory over Paris Saint-Germain last weekend, falling to a narrow 1–0 defeat against Brest at the Stade Francis-Le Blé on Friday night. The result serves as a setback for Les Monégasques, who struggled to convert chances despite a spirited second-half effort.
Match Overview
Manager Sébastien Pocognoli entered the contest with several key absentees. Thilo Kehrer and Denis Zakaria were suspended, while Folarin Balogun, Ansu Fati and George Ilenikhena remained sidelined through injury. Despite the depleted squad, Pocognoli kept faith in his 4-2-3-1 setup, with Jordan Teze partnering Mohammed Salisu at centre-back. Mamadou Coulibaly and Mika Biereth were also restored to the starting lineup.
The match opened at a high tempo, with both teams pushing forward early. Daouda Guindo (5’) and Rémy Labeau Lascary (14’) threatened from distance before Biereth forced a save from a tight angle moments later. Monaco relied on goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký, who produced a brilliant one-on-one stop in the 20th minute.
However, the breakthrough arrived for Brest in the 28th minute. After Hrádecký blocked an initial strike from Ludovic Ajorque, Kamory Doumbia reacted quickly to nod in the rebound and give the hosts a 1–0 lead.
Monaco upped the pressure before half-time, with Aleksandr Golovin’s header saved (34’) and Biereth narrowly missing the target (38’). Takumi Minamino struck the post (39’), coming closest to an equaliser.
Second-Half Response
After the interval, Brest almost doubled their advantage when Guindo’s powerful shot smashed off the crossbar (54’). The momentum shifted in Monaco’s favour when Ajorque was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Lamine Camara (60’).
Despite being a man up, Monaco struggled to break Brest down. Minamino fired a half-volley off target (61’) before Pocognoli introduced Paul Pogba and Stanis Idumbo (69’) to inject fresh creativity. Later substitutions brought on Paris Brunner and Lucas Michal (77’), increasing Monaco’s attacking urgency.
Salisu came agonisingly close to scoring, hitting the post with a header from a set piece (79’). Brest, meanwhile, looked dangerous on the counter, with Mama Baldé heading wide deep into stoppage time (93’).
Ultimately, Monaco could not find a breakthrough and were forced to accept a disappointing 1–0 defeat. The team now turns its attention to an important Champions League meeting with Galatasaray on Tuesday at the Stade Louis-II.
Pocognoli Reacts
After the match, Pocognoli expressed frustration at his team’s lack of precision:
“The players gave everything from start to finish, but we lacked technical sharpness and quality in the final third. Even with a numerical advantage, we didn’t create enough. It is disappointing.”
He praised the squad’s mentality but lamented the manner of the goal conceded:
“The attitude was positive, but we forced things too much at the end and lost our structure. The goal we conceded is frustrating because we worked on that exact scenario this week.”
Key Stats Highlight Monaco’s Frustration
Numbers from the match underline why the defeat stings:
- Shots inside the box: 8 (Monaco) – 4 (Brest)
- Touches in opposition area: 19 – 11
- Possession: 59% – 41%
- Passes in opposition half: 220 – 115
Despite dominating several metrics, Monaco were unable to turn their chances into points.
What’s Next for Monaco?
A crucial week awaits the Principality side, with a Champions League clash vs Galatasaray followed by a key Ligue 1 meeting with Marseille next Sunday.
