AS Monaco draws at Ajax in penultimate friendly

From one goal to the other, from one side to the other. There was a spectacle this afternoon at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam where AS Monaco played their penultimate warm-up match against Ajax, second in the last Dutch league. Right from the start, Teze missed the empty net (5') on a pass from the other full-back, Caio Henrique, very prominent and the best Monegasque in the game. Well positioned and aggressive, the club from the Principality recovered an incalculable number of balls 30 meters or less from the Dutch goal, like a shot from captain Zakaria that flew over (20').

But Ajax were able to exploit this high pressure by hampering ASM on the counterattack. The first warning came from a one-on-one won by Köhn against Moro, ideally set up by Berghuis behind Teze (24'). Five minutes later, the Dutch opened the scoring thanks to Taylor, concluding a one-two with Klaassen that left the Monaco defence Mawissa-Dier standing still. Monaco's desire to go high didn't weaken, and here too, five minutes later, Caio Henrique outwitted Regeer to serve Biereth into an easy position. The Dane scored his fourth goal of the pre-season, after goals against Torino, Bielefeld, and Coventry. Adi Hütter's men finished the first half better, but neither Caio Henrique's (39') nor Minamino's (43') attempts had any impact.

Effective high pressing

It was only a matter of time for the Japanese. After a succession of balls scraped back in the Ajax half, the Rock saw his work rewarded with a typical afternoon move: Teze recovered from Godts, a perfect cross, and an aerial tackle from Minamino to give his team the lead (65'). The introductions of Brunner and Ilenikhena added a little more spice to the Prince's attack, but both were thwarted by a lightning counter-attack initiated by Camara on the right (74'). Less sharp than ASM, the Ajacides kept their backs before finishing very strongly. An innocuous pass from Ilenikhena to the center circle provided a crucial cartridge for Bertrand Traoré, found behind, to equalize almost against the run of play. The former Lyonnais even had two chances in added time to give his team the victory, as did Berghuis, who was taken in extremis by Mawissa (90+2').

It is therefore on a rather logical parity score despite a slight statistical domination of the ASM that the two teams separate, before Monaco concludes its preparation by the reception of Inter Milan at the Louis-II next Friday at 8 p.m., for a last gala match before the resumption of Ligue 1 against Le Havre on Saturday August 16 (7 p.m.), still at home.