Monaco (AFP)

In suffering and despite two red cards, Monaco managed, thanks to a brace from Wissam Ben Yedder, to beat Strasbourg (3-2) on Sunday afternoon at the Stade Louis-II and came back, with 10 points, in contact with the podium.

While Niko Kovac's men controlled the game and led 3-1, everything went wrong for Monaco.

First, Aurélien Tchouaméni was severely excluded after stepping on the ball and touching Alexander Djiku (55th).

Then Axel Disasi, in the position of last defender, fouled Ludovic Ajorque, doubly sanctioned: exclusion of Monegasque (67th) and penalty successful by Ajorque (3-2, 70th).

But with its young people, some of whom are totally neophytes (Chrislain Matsima, Eliot Matazo), and a rare self-sacrifice, Monaco held on to nine against eleven for more than 25 minutes.

It is often said that the best stories are born of great suffering.

That of the Kovac team was well born ...

With Wissam Ben Yedder and Ruben Aguilar, both scorers and very available before half-time, the Croatian technician's men quickly led, before widening the gap just before the break.

After seeing Stevan Jovetic miss in an unusually awkward way the opening of the scoring (2nd), Ben Yedder, already scorer in Rennes, decided to take matters in hand.

Following a one-two with the German Kevin Volland in the box, he perfectly crossed his attempt (1-0, 9th).

Monaco then dominated.

But like the soaring goalkeeper Bingourou Kamara on the heavy strike from Tchouaméni (14th), Strasbourg held.

Until the last minute of the first period.

Shifted by Jovetic, the left side Fodé Ballo-Touré found his right-wing counterpart, Aguilar, who, with the head, valued his work (2-0, 45th + 1).

Seeing his team unable to take any shot on target did not please Thierry Laurey, who took advantage of the half-time to take out Majeed Waris and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, and bring in Dimitri Lienard and Mehdi Chahiri.

After 20 seconds in the second period, the latter, taking advantage of an error of assessment of the Monegasque rearguard, reduced the mark with a nice flat foot (2-1, 46th).

Flash in the pan or lasting reaction?

In any case, Monaco did not take ten minutes to regain two goals in advance.

Once again, Volland served a clinical Ben Yedder (3-1, 53rd).

Despite the two red cards and the penalty that followed, Monaco held on and made a fine contender for the podium: fifth with 10 points, the Principality's club is tied with Montpellier and Saint-Etienne, third and fourth, as well as with Lens, sixth.

© 2020 AFP