At the Stade de la Source, AS Monaco demonstrated their strength and efficiency against a determined US Orléans side to triumph, with supersub George Ilenikhena making a decisive impact.
AS Monaco were forced to dig deep to escape the Orléans trap on Saturday in the Coupe de France Round of 32. Reduced to ten men once again after Stanis Idumbo’s dismissal, the Red and Whites nevertheless booked their place in the next round. Backed by nearly 400 travelling supporters, Pocognoli’s side secured a 1-3 victory thanks to a late brace from substitute Ilenikhena.
A one-sided first half
From the outset, the match took an unexpected turn. The Wasps, led by National top scorer El Khoumisti, dominated possession and created a series of dangerous chances. Despite the two-division gap, the difference in level was barely noticeable in the early stages.
Depleted by eleven absentees, Sébastien Pocognoli opted for a 4-4-2 diamond, with Aleksandr Golovin operating behind Folarin Balogun and Mika Biereth. It was, however, goalkeeper Philipp Köhn who made the first telling contributions, denying a cross-shot from Jordan Morel in the 13th minute before producing back-to-back saves against Fahd El Khoumisti (25’) and Arthur Lallias (26’).
Against the run of play, Monaco struck with ruthless efficiency, opening the scoring from their first clear opportunity. Idumbo’s incisive pass split the Orléans midfield and pinpointed captain Denis Zakaria, who found Balogun between the lines. The forward then made no mistake, beating Fei-Hong Faham with a classy finish to put Monaco ahead (0–1, 27’).
© AS Monaco
Far from settling into the game, the Monégasques continued to struggle. Already on a booking, Idumbo was shown a second yellow card for a challenge on Esteban Mouton and sent off just before the interval (44’), leaving his teammates to play the entire second half with ten men. Monaco’s difficulties were illustrated in the half-time statistics, with just two attempts on goal compared to Orléans’ 13.
Ilenikhena extinguishes Orléans’ hopes
The second stanza confirmed Orléans’ dominance. Play was briefly halted after smoke bombs were thrown onto the pitch from the Monaco supporters’ section, underlining the frustration of the moment.
The Wasps carried on threatening the Red and Whites, proving especially menacing from set pieces. Inside his own six-yard box, Biereth was forced into an emergency clearance ahead of El Khoumisti (49’).
From a corner, Guillaume Khous got a near-post touch that drew another save from Köhn before El Khoumisti hit the post moments later (63’). Under heavy pressure, Monaco dropped deep and endured but held firm courtesy of an exemplary defensive outing, exemplified by Eric Dier, making his return following three months out.
As the tension rose, Pocognoli turned to his bench. Aladji Bamba replaced Biereth (77’), before Ilenikhena came on for Balogun (86’). Just two minutes later, the young Nigerian striker was superbly released on the counter after a dazzling run from Kassoum Ouattara to double the lead with remarkable composure (0–2, 88’). In stoppage time, a sublime backheel from Golovin picked out Zakaria, who in turn set up Ilenikhena to complete his brace (0–3, 94’).
© AS Monaco
Orléans were eventually rewarded for their efforts in the closing embers of the contest, as El Khoumisti pulled one back with a fine strike (1–3, 96’). The goal changed nothing in the outcome but capped an impressive display from the National side, who pushed the Monégasques to the limit until the final whistle.
Ilenikhena, decisive supersub
Having netted a quick double, Ilenikhena savoured his performance in an interview with the broadcaster, stating: “It feels good to win after a long time without a win, against a good National team. The red card was difficult to deal with, but we remained solid until the end.”
Used sparingly this season, the talented attacker was able to emphatically seize his chance: “I’m very happy to have helped the team. The coach trusted me, and I want to repay his trust. The goal is to go all the way to the final and win it,” he asserted.
Sébastien Pocognoli: “Keeping the ambition to go as far as possible”
In the post-match press conference, Pocognoli praised the state of mind of his players after this qualification obtained in difficult conditions: “This kind of match forges a group. To play an entire half with ten men, away from home, in a complicated context, and to remain solid until the end, it’s very positive,” reflected the Belgian.
The ASM coach also insisted on the importance of the Coupe de France, explaining: “It’s a competition that can bring us a lot. We want to keep the ambition to go as far as possible, while continuing to improve in our game.”
Finally, he was keen to highlight the influence of Ilenikhena: “He was decisive, but beyond the goals, it’s his attitude that I like. He listens, he works, and he has been there when the team needed him,” he told the media.
Thanks to their potency going forward and unwavering defensive solidarity, Monaco advanced in the Coupe de France. The question now is whether this hard-earned result can help the Red and Whites regain their footing in the league and end a difficult run of just one win in seven games. Their next match is on Friday vs Lorient at the Stade Louis-II.