Claudio Ranieri's AS Monaco traveled to Toulouse in Ligue 1 on Sunday afternoon.
With Paris Saint-Germain not in action until later in the day, Monaco had the chance to close the gap on the league leaders to just two points by winning at Stadium Municipal.
That was unlikely to be easy for the big spenders though, as Toulouse were unbeaten in their last six league matches.
Would Monaco be able to end that run to give their title challenge a boost? Find out how the game unfolded by revisiting the action with Sports Mole's blow-by-blow text updates below.
Good afternoon and thanks for joining Sports Mole for this afternoon’s match at the Stadium Municipal.
Big spenders Monaco are in desperate need of three points after failing to record a win in their last two league games. Meanwhile, midtable Toulouse come into this fixture high on confidence following last weekend’s 1-0 win at Bordeaux. Alain Casanova’s men are unbeaten in their last six games in Ligue 1.
Toulouse also have an impressive head-to-head record against Monaco in recent seasons, although the relevance of historical form is to be taken with a pinch of salt considering the number of personnel changes that have occurred at Stade Louis II. Nevertheless, Monaco have failed to score in each of their last four matches with Les Pitchouns. Three of those games ended 0-0, while Toulouse won 2-0 on home soil in 2011.
TOULOUSE STARTING XI: Ali Ahamada; Jonathan Zebina, Christopher Aurier, Steeve Yago; Jean Daniel Akpa Akpro, Issiaga Sylla, Etienne Didot, Adrien Regattin, Abel Aguilar; Martin Braithwaite, Ben Yedder.
MONACO STARTING XI: Danijel Subasic; Layvin Kurzawa, Ricardo Carvalho, Eric Abidal, Andrea Raggi; Mounir Obaddi, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Jeremy Toulalan; Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez, Valere Germain.
TOULOUSE SUBS: Olivier Blondel, Dany Maury, Ilias Hassani, Francois Sirieix, Oscar Trejo, Kevin Rodrigues, Eden Ben Basat.
MONACO SUBS: Sergio Romero, Fabinho, Nicolas Isimat-Mirin, Joao Moutinho, Lucas Ocampos, Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco, Emmanuel Riviere.
Uros Spajic is suspend and, as expected, Mihai Roman, Pavle Ninkov, Sana Zaniou, Amadou Soukana and Aymen Abdennour all miss out through injury. However, one piece of good news for Toulouse is that Steeve Yago has overcome a muscular strain and is fit to start.
Meanwhile, teenage Monaco forward Anthony Martial, who has scored two goals in his last five Ligue 1 matches, has failed to shake off an ankle problem in time for today's match.
Toulouse continue to lineup in a 3-5-2 formation, with Martin Braithwaite and Ben Yedder in attack. Monaco will kick off playing 4-3-3, although one of their forwards, James Rodriguez, will operate in a deep striking position.
The teams are out and the start of the game is just seconds away...
KICKOFF! Toulouse get the game underway and immediately surrender possession by lumping a long crossfield ball out of play.
An early LET OFF for Toulouse as Christopher Aurier hesitates on the ball just outside of his penalty area. Valere Germain displays good strength to nick the ball of him, but the referee gives the hosts a soft free-kick.
The first clear CHANCE of the game falls to Toulouse. Ben Yedder gets away down the right and pulls the ball back to Martin Braithwaite, who hits a low first-time shot straight at goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.
CHANCE! Another opportunity falls to Braithwaite. This time, Adrien Regattin finds him with a whipped cross from the right, but he heads over from eight yards. Toulouse have settled quicker than their opponents.
Toulouse's 3-5-2 formation is proving very effective so far. The hosts are reverting to 5-3-2 without the ball, making it very difficult for Monaco to find a way through. However, when in possession, both wing backs are bombing forward and causing lots of problems. They seem to be burning a lot of energy though. Will they be able to keep it up?
Yedder does brilliantly to control a lofted through ball. He then cuts inside from the left and shanks a low drive way wide of goal from the edge of the area.
SAVED BY THE FLAG! Yedder bursts onto another through pass and sprints through on goal. The home fans start to get excited before the referee blows his whistle and correctly brings the play back for offside.
CHANCE! Falcao dances away from his man down the left flank. His low cross falls to Germain, whose powerful effort deflects behind for the game's first corner.
The first corner is knocked behind for another. This one is cleared as far as Jeremy Toulalan, who skies a shot from 25 yards.
SHOCKING MISS! Toulouse waste a glorious chance to take the lead. Etienne Didot beats the offside trap and pokes a shot that is well saved by Subasic. The rebound falls kindly for Yedder, but he sidefoots wide of an open goal from just left of the penalty spot.
Etienne Didot runs at Ricardo Carvalho, who defends well and clears behind for a corner. However, much to the hosts' annoyance, the referee wrongly awards a throw in, which comes to nothing.
CHANCE! Shortly after being denied their preferred set piece, Toulouse do win their first corner. The ball is half cleared before being swung back it to Christopher Aurier, who heads over from close range.
Monaco have not been allowed to settle at all and Toulouse deserve much credit for the way they have pressed their opponents. A lot of energy is being spent though and one can't help but feel the hosts will tire in the second half. Also, surely Monaco won't be this bad after half time.
GOAL! Toulouse 0-1 AS Monaco (Lavyin Kurzawa).
Totally against the run of play, Monaco take the lead! Geoffrey Kondogbia drives to the left byline and tees up Lavyin Kurzawa, who has made a lung-bursting run from left-back. He makes no mistake from 10 yards and Ranieri's men are in front.
Germain nods the ball down to James Rodriguez, who skies a shot wide from the edge of the area.
CHANCE! Another great opportunity is wasted by Toulouse. Braithwaite squares to Issiaga Sylla, who shanks an ugly left-foot shot wide from 10 yards.
BOOKING! Monaco defender Eric Abidal is shown a yellow card for a trip on Braithwaite. It was definitely a free-kick, but further punishment seemed unnecessary to me.
HALF TIME: Toulouse 0-1 AS Monaco.
A below-par Monaco lead at the break. Toulouse should have been in front before Kurzawa landed his 36th-minute sucker punch, but the hosts' finishing has been woeful. They can only blame themselves.
Toulouse striker Yedder, who has not scored in his last five games, missed an open goal. Monaco left-back Kurzawa then netted his third in four. That says a lot.
One shouldn't be too harsh on Toulouse. Their finishing has been poor, but their general play has been very encouraging, as reflected by the first-half stats...
Possession
Toulouse: 54%
Monaco: 46%
Toulouse: 54%
Monaco: 46%
Shots (on target)
Toulouse: 9 (2)
Monaco: 5 (1)
Fouls
Toulouse: 4
Monaco: 13
KICK OFF! Monaco get the second half underway. No subs have been made by either manager.
An encouraging statistic for Toulouse is that 71% of their goals this season have come in the second half of matches.
Sylla is lucky to avoid a yellow card after leaving his foot in against Kondogbia, who looks in some discomfort.
Kondogbia is OK, but Monaco's free-kick is wasteful.
BOOKING! Toulalan picks up a yellow card for an unnecessary foul on Yedder.
PENALTY SHOUT! Falcao is brought down in the box by Steeve Yago, but the Colombian manages to get back on his feet to release a shot that cleared off the line. The referee had the whistle in his mouth and looked set to point to the spot until Falcao got up. He surely should have brought play back and given a penalty. Credit to Falcao for trying to play on, but, unfortunately, his honesty has cost him. Had he stayed down and/or rolled around, Monaco could well be 2-0 up! Modern football eh?
BOOKING! Etienne Didot becomes the first Toulouse player to get a yellow card today, entering the book for a foul on Germain.
SAVE! Toulouse goalkeeper Ali Ahamada keeps his side in the game with a good stop to keep out Carvalho's firm header from Rodriguez pinpoint cross.
OFF THE LINE! Falcao rounds goalkeeper Ahamada before dinking a shot at goal from a narrow angle. His effort is on target, but, racing back and off balance, Aguilar flicks out a leg and gets the ball to safety using his studs. Dramatic!
SAVE! Toulouse come close to scoring for the first time in this second half. Adrien Regattin's low cross is met at the near post by Yedder, who shoots straight at Subasic. Excellent positioning by the Monaco keeper!
SUB: Falcao's game is over. The Colombian, who will have to wait to net his 10th Ligue 1 goal of the season, is replaced by Lucas Ocampos.
SUB: Yedder comes off as Eden Ben Basat enters the action.
SUB: Fabinho replaces Mounir Obbadi.
A chorus of groans ring around Stadium Municipal as a Toulouse short corner is intercepted, sparking a Monaco counter-attack, which ultimately proves fruitless.
CHANCE! Regattin's pacy free kick falls to Didot on the edge of the D. He advances into the box, before sending a volley just wide of goal.
SUB: That miss was Didot's last action of the match. He is replaced by Oscar Trejo.
SUB: Emmanuel Riviere replaces Germain, as Monaco look to shut up shop.
Fabinho is felled by Yago just outside of the Toulouse penalty area. Rodriguez takes the free kick, which is too high by about two feet.
GOAL! Toulouse 0-2 AS Monaco (Lucas Ocampos).
A stunning bicycle kick from substitute Ocampos seals the win for Monaco. The 19-year-old displays superb agility as he powerfully dispatches Rodriguez's inswinging cross into the net.
That was Ocampos's third league goal for Monaco. It was surely his best and arguably the best goal of the weekend so far!
FULL TIME: Toulouse 0-2 AS Monaco.
Monaco win a league game at Toulouse for the first time since 1997. The result moves Ranieri's men to within two points of leaders PSG, who host Nantes later tonight.
The visitors were fortunate to be ahead at the break after being outplayed for much of the first half, but they were comfortably the better side in the second. Taking everything into account, the result is a fair one.
FINAL STATS:
Possession
Toulouse: 54%
Monaco: 46%
Shots (on target)
Toulouse: 12 (4)
Monaco: 14 (6)
Fouls
Toulouse: 12
Monaco: 25
That concludes our live coverage of this match, but stick with Sports Mole because we will have another live Ligue 1 text commentary on PSG vs. Nantes at 7.30pm.
Written by
Robert Summerscales
Robert Summerscales
