Late Ugbo leveller lifts pressure off Kisnorbo in Troyes' draw with Monaco
Phillippe Clement made six changes following a 3-0 humbling in the Derby de la Côte d’Azur last weekend, admitting he had taken “a tactical lesson” from his opposite number. Of those benefiting from the misfortune, it was Ruben Aguilar who whipped in an enticing ball from the right early on. You would have put your mortgage on skipper Ben Yedder heading home from close range, but somehow it skewed wide much to Gauthier Gallon’s relief.
For all the away sides possession, deputising Renaud Ripart led the press from the front and it paid dividends for ESTAC before half time. Rominigue Kouamé picked up the ball just inside the opposition half showing fine strength and pace to beat two men before unleashing a left-footed thunderbolt which was beyond Alexander Nübel and into the top corner in the blink of an eye.
Les Monégasques were at risk of drawing a blank for the second consecutive game, having previously found the net in every game this season. On the hour Ben Yedder came agonisingly close to ensuring that wouldn’t be the case, curling a fraction wide from the edge of the box with Gallon beaten.
As Troyes sat back late on and invited pressure, Malang Sarr went close on the volley before Ben Yedder finally converted by rolling home on the second attempt after an otherwise wasteful afternoon. There was even enough time for Ben Yedder to tap home what he thought was the winner, ruled onside after a prolonged VAR check, but Ugbo then rescued a point at the death heading home unmarked in an entertaining affair.
Flashscore Player of the Match: Rominigue Kouamé (ES Troyes AC)