celebrate after winning the French L1 football match between Monaco
(ASM) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Louis II Stadium in
Monaco on November 20, 2020. (Photo by Valery HACHE /
AFP)
Cesc Fabregas scored a late winner from the penalty spot
as Monaco came from two goals down to stun reigning champions Paris
Saint-Germain 3-2 in Ligue 1 on Friday.
Kylian Mbappe had netted a first-half brace, including a
penalty, against his former side, taking him to 99 goals for PSG
and leaving his current team seemingly on course for a ninth
consecutive league win.
But German international Kevin Volland struck twice for Monaco
after the break and Fabregas converted from 12 yards in the 84th
minute after Abdou Diallo had been sent off for conceding the
all-important penalty.
PSG remain clear at the top of Ligue 1, but this result is a
major setback for Thomas Tuchel’s team before a crucial Champions
League tie against RB Leipzig next week.
“I am more surprised than I am angry,” said Tuchel, who was also
disappointed to see further first-half goals for Mbappe and Moise
Kean disallowed.
“I saw two totally different halves. First of all we completely
controlled the game…and then the second half was completely
different. I can only say it is our responsibility.”
Niko Kovac’s Monaco climb up to second in the table, four points
behind PSG, but Lille can reclaim second spot and move to within
two points of the leaders if they beat Lorient on Sunday.
“If you come back from two down to win 3-2 it is for sure
something special, but I don’t want to glorify it too much,” said
ex-Bayern Munich coach Kovac.
“We cannot stop and say everything is done. It was a big victory
but nothing more.”
PSG have been severely handicapped by injuries and suspensions
this season, and Neymar was only deemed fit enough for a place on
the bench at kick-off at the Stade Louis II after missing Brazil’s
World Cup qualifiers over the last week due to fitness
problems.
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– Volland stars – Mbappe was back in the starting line-up,
however, after missing his club’s last two outings prior to the
international break with a hamstring injury.
Facing his former club, with whom he won the Ligue 1 title in
2017, Mbappe burst through to put Paris in front in the 25th minute
after being released by Angel Di Maria.
He then found the net again in the 37th minute, converting a
penalty awarded for a foul on Rafinha by Youssouf Fofana.
His ninth goal of the season leaves him just one away from a
century of goals in a PSG shirt since his arrival from Monaco at
the start of 2017/18 in a 180 million-euro ($213m) deal. He even
had another goal disallowed just before half-time.
Without their French international striker Wissam Ben Yedder
after he tested positive for coronavirus, it was a long way back
for Monaco but they reduced the deficit seven minutes after
half-time when Gelson Martins set up Volland to score from close
in.
Volland then equalised with a tap-in after Fabregas, on as a
substitute, had beaten goalkeeper Keylor Navas to a cross.
Worse was to come for the visitors, as Diallo — another former
Monaco player — clumsily conceded a penalty and was shown a red
card after the referee opted to review the images.
Fabregas made no mistake from the spot, as PSG lost a Ligue 1
game after leading by two goals for just the second time since the
Qatari takeover of the club in 2011.
Earlier Rennes warmed up for their Champions League rematch with
Chelsea in the worst possible fashion, going down to a 1-0 home
defeat at the hands of Bordeaux.
Hatem Ben Arfa scored the only goal of the game against his old
club, as Rennes slip to fifth before entertaining Chelsea in a game
they realistically need to win to keep any hopes of reaching the
Champions League last 16 alive.
Read more https://swordpress.com.ng/2020/11/22/monaco-come-back-to-stun-psg-after-mbappe-double/