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Coupe de France | Fifth Round
Jan 22, 2014 at 4pm UK
 
Monaco

0-3

FT(HT: 0-1)
Falcao (30'), Riviere (62', 72')

Live Commentary: Monts D'or Azergues 1-3 AS Monaco - as it happened

Sports Mole brings you live coverage of the Coupe de France where AS Monaco travel to fourth-tier outfit Monts D'or Azergues.
2

AS Monaco travelled to French minnows Monts D'or Azergues in the Coupe de France on Wednesday.

The two sides met in the last 32 of the competition, with former Monaco captain Ludovic Giuly's fourth-tier strugglers hosting the Ligue 1 giants.

It was a comfortable win for Monaco, who advance through to the quarter-finals.

Read how the match unfolded in our live commentary below.


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Bonjour and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the Coupe de France, where we have a real David vs. Goliath tie: Monts D'or Azergues vs. AS Monaco.

This is the standout fixture of the round, as far as rags vs. riches is concerned. Ligue 1 giants and millionaires Monaco travel to face Azergues of the French fourth division. Just to add a little more spice and nostalgia to the contest, Azergues boast Monaco legend Ludovic Giuly. This should be one brilliant afternoon of cup action.

Now 37 years old, Giuly starred for Monaco in two separate spells, winning the title in 1999-2000 and captaining them on their run to the Champions League final in 2004 during his first spell. He then returned for a season in Ligue 2 in 2011-12. He is a bona fide Monaco great and will no doubt relish facing his old employers today.

Azergues will also look to capitalise on the increased interest in the match due to a switch of locations. Their usual home, funnily enough named the Stade Ludovic Giuly, only holds a capacity of 5,000 fans. So with that in mind, today's clash is being played at the Stade de Gerland down the road in Lyon. This should only make the game even more special for Giuly, who made 92 top-flight appearances for Lyon at the start of his glittering career. Talk about mixed emotions eh.

Azergues, who were only founded 14 years ago, also have a famous coach in the form of Stephane Santini; a former player with Saint-Etienne and Sochaux among others and the son of former France manager Jacques.

On the other side of the tie, Monaco are flying. They sit second in Ligue 1, having finished as champions in Ligue 2 last term, and are only five points off league leaders PSG. Claudio Ranieri is likely to make a few changes today, and could hand a debut to new signing Elderson Echiejile at left-back. Meanwhile, Sergio Romero should play in goal and Nicolas Isimat-Mirin may replace the suspended captain Eric Abidal in centre of defence. Radamel Falcao is set to lead the line, amid his recent goal drought.

Right, let's bring you the team news. Starting with the home team.

In fact, let's start with Monaco. I'm finding it difficult to locate Azergues team news.

MONACO XI: Romero, Fabinho, Elderson, Isimat, Carvalho, Toulalan, Moutinho, Ocampos, Ferreira Carrasco, Germain, Falcao

Ranieri makes seven changes to the team that beat Toulouse 2-0 at the weekend, but still fields a very strong team.

Among those who come in is the debutant Elderson at left-back. Sergio Romero, Fabinho, Mirin, Joao Moutinho, Lucas Ocampos and Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco also come into the starting lineup. £55m-striker Falcao also starts.

And for the bench.

MONACO BENCH: Subasic, Raggi, Diallo, Obbadi, Pi, Dirar, Riviere

Right, I've got some news for the hosts.

AZERGUES XI: Jaccard, Bugnet, Soudain, Ertek, Alioui, Traore, Moukkadam, Giuly, Bah, Simsek, Mauvernay

Of course, Giuly was always going to start. The teams are out.

Azergues are wearing their home kit of yellow shirts with black shorts and socks, while Monaco sport their usual first strip of red and white halved shirts with white shorts and socks.

KICK OFF! Monaco, playing from left to right, get us underway.

It's been a fairly settled start by Azergues, who haven't seen much of the ball, but have managed to contain Monaco thus far.

Azergues have a free kick out on the left after Mauvernay is tripped by Fabinho in the midway point of the Monaco half. Chance here to whip it into the box.

Giuly floats the ball in towards the back post, and Bah rises highest to head it for Azergues. However, there isn't much power in the effort, and Romero can calmly collect.

Moutinho chips a lovely ball over the Azergues backline and into the box, which Fabinho runs onto. However, Soudain manages to get in front of Fabinho goalside, and wins a free kick after forcing a foul from the Brazilian.

Monaco have dominated so far, but not really created any chances.

CHANCE! Now that was an opportunity for Monaco, and they should have done better. Falcao is given loads of room down the left before putting in a cross towards Germain. The latter makes a bursting run towards the front post and gets his head to the ball, but his effort flies across the face of goal and wide for a goal kick.

CHANCE! Another shot on goal for Monaco, but this effort is woeful. Monaco have the ball in the box, passing it around to try to create a shooting opportunity, before laying it back to Toulalan outside the box. The midfielder puts his foot through is, but snatches the shot high over the bar and into the crowd.

Monaco are starting to turn on the style and create a few more chances now. They have a free kick out on the right which Moutinho will look to cross.

The delivery is decent by Moutinho, and he picks out Mirin at the near post. However, the defender's header is powered wide of the front stick.

Azergues have started to settle after weathering a bit of a Monaco storm. I'm sure that's not the last attack we'll see from the visitors though.

We've just had a bit of a delay here following an injury to Moukaddam. He slid into a challenge and stretched his legs just a bit too far.

Hopefully he'll be ok. The match is back underway.

Moukaddam has returned to the field, and Azergues are now back to their full XI.

Jaccard is just a little bit too confident as he tries to shield the ball out of play for a goal kick. Ocampos nearly manages to snatch the ball off of the keeper at the byline, but cannot quite get enough of a touch on it.

Encouraging signs for Azergues over the past few minutes. They've started seeing more of the ball and putting some good moves together. Giuly is at the hub of it, and the noise rises every time he gets in possession.

GOAL! Monts D'or Azergues 0-1 AS Monaco (Radamel Falcao)

Monaco take the lead and Falcao won't score many easier goals than this in his life. Moutinho floats a free kick in from the right, which Germain rises at the back post to nod back across the face of goal. There lies Falcao, unmarked, who simply has to tap the ball into an empty net. First blood to the big boys.

So Monaco can finally go ahead. How will Azergues respond? Will they be more determined to fire themselves back into the game, or will Monaco run away with it now? Time will tell.

Moutinho floats a cross from the right touchline deep into the far post where Falcao is lurking. It should be an easy catch for Jaccard, but Falcao gives him a few worries by putting him under pressure. Jaccard just about scrambles a hold of the ball.

Alioui has to be careful. He has made so many fouls so far and has yet to be booked. He can't far away from picking up a yellow after upending Ferreira-Carrasco.

The crowd is starting to come alive a bit more after a few tackles fly in. Monaco haven't managed to test the Azergues goal again since their opener.

Now then, this is interesting. Monaco hit Azergues on the break, and Falcao makes his way into the box. Ertek goes diving in from behind in a last-ditch attempt to get the ball. Falcao goes down but the referee gives nothing. Falcao is still down in agony now, and replays show that Ertek got none of the ball and all of the striker. Should be a Monaco penalty.

Falcao, who has not long returned from a thigh injury, looks as if he is going to be forced off here. Emmanuel Riviere being prepared.

Falcao has been taken off on a stretcher and into the dressing room. Let's hope he is alright. For some reason though, Monaco are down to 10 men as Riviere continues to warm up. Strange.

We will have two minutes of added time.

HALF TIME: Monts D'or Azergues 0-1 AS Monaco

There's the half-time whistle, and Monaco lead as expected. They should be further ahead, but Azergues have done well to keep the score at just 1-0.

Radamel Falcao's goal separates the two sides, but the big worry will be the injury he has sustained, having been taken off on a stretcher. Let's hope it's not serious.

The two teams have made their way back out onto the field. I think Emmanuel Riviere may finally be introduced for Monaco.

MONACO CHANGE: No idea why this took so long to happen, but Riviere has entered the fray in place of the injured Falcao.

KICK OFF! Azergues, playing to the right, get the second half up and running.

YELLOW CARD: Bugnet goes into the book after leaving Moutinho in some discomfort.

He's taken a while to do it, but Moutinho is now back to his feet.

SAVE! Nearly a superb effort by Azergues, who nearly pull level with a stunning overhead kick. The shot bounces towards the bottom corner, but Romero manages to fly to his right and push the ball wide. Great stop.

Azergues have come out very strongly in this second half, and are really putting Monaco under some pressure.

OFF THE POST! As I say that, Monaco nearly double their lead. The balls falls to Ferreira-Carrasco following a bit of a scramble, but his shot on the turns comes back off the far post. So unlucky, and Azergues manage to scramble it clear.

The momentum of this match has since swung back into the path of Monaco, who are camping outside the Azergues box. They can't find a way through, and the hosts clear.

Ocampos wins a free kick on the edge of the box, this is Moutinho territory.

CHANCE! Moutinho tries to dip the ball up and down over the wall, but cannot hit the target. Over.

GOAL! Monts D'or Azergues 0-2 AS Monaco (Emmanuel Riviere)

That should kill off the game, and it's simple goal for Riviere. The ball is played over the top, he runs onto it, Jaccard races off his line but misses it on the bounce, and Riviere hooks the ball into the back of the net.

MISS! That should have instantly been three for Monaco. It opens up for Ferreira-Carrasco on the edge of the box, who should hit the target, but instead shoots wide of the bottom left corner.

AZERGUES CHANGE: Anican is on for Bugnet.

MONACO CHANGE: Nabil Dirar makes his long-awaited comeback from an eight-month layoff, and replaces Germain.

AZERGUES: Carn comes on in place of Moukaddam.

GOAL! Monts D'or Azergues 0-3 AS Monaco

Game, set and match. Monaco are through to the quarter-finals, as Riviere bags a second for him and third for the team. Ferreira-Carrasco runs with the ball down the right before passing it inside to the striker. Riviere takes a touch before shooting across the ball and swerving it into to the far corner.

That third goal has really killed the pace of this match.

MONACO CHANGE: Andrea Raggi is on for the third and final Monaco substitution. Carvalho is taken off.

AZERGUES CHANGE: Last alteration for the home team, as Mauvernay makes way for Arthur Poulet.

MISS! I'm stunned. This has to be miss of the season from Ferreira-Carrasco. Riviere, who is on a hat-trick, unselfishly squares the ball across the face of the box where the winger has an open goal from just a few yards out, but unbelievably, he skies it over the bar. Embarrassing moment for him.

Monaco are at walking pace now as they just run down the clock. Azergues looks very tired.

We will have three minutes of added time.

FULL-TIME: Monts D'or Azergues 0-3 AS Monaco

So that's it. Monaco are through thanks to a goal from Falcao and a Riviere brace.

That's it from me for now. But I'll be back later for PSG against Montpellier.

RED CARD!  

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Monaco's Anthony Martial in action against Rennes on November 30, 2013
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