PLAYER RATINGS | Monaco 3-2 Marseille: Maghnes Akliouche and Folarin Balogun shine as Gennaro Gatuso begins with a loss
AS Monaco bounced back from defeat against local rivals OGC Nice to beat Olympique de Marseille (3-2) in Gennaro Gattuso’s first game as manager of the club.
Gattuso seemingly had an immediate galvanising effect. Within 60 seconds Marseille took the lead thanks to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after some good pressing allowed the side to win the ball back and transition vertically.
However, Monaco’s response was almost immediate. Wissam Ben Yedder’s control in the box was met by Maghnes Akliouche, who worked space for himself in the box before finishing low past Pau Lopez. Ismail Jakobs then went close but dragged wide after good work from Folarin Balogun, but it was Les Phocééns who got the next goal.
Samuel Gigot remained in the box from a corner, and he wasn’t picked up by Monaco’s defence, allowing him to volley cleanly past Philipp Köhn. But once again, Gattuso’s side were immediately pegged back. This time Akliouche provided the assist as Balogun finished emphatically past Lopez, making up for last weekend’s double penalty miss and netting his first at the Stade Louis II.
Akliouche then almost doubled his account, and would have done if not for a brilliant double save from Lopez, but the France U21 international wouldn’t have to wait long to get back on the scoresheet. Roles reversed as Balogun set up Akliouche.
Ben Yedder almost gave the Principality club some breathing space, but once again, Lopez made an important save. Vitinha had a late chance to level the scores once more, but he couldn’t find the target from a close angle. Marseille remain winless in Ligue 1 since 26th August, Monaco return to the top, for now.
AS MONACO
Phillip Köhn, 5
Vanderson, 6
Maripan, 4
Soungoutou Magassa, 5
Wilfried Singo, 6
Denis Zakaria, 7
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