In a tense encounter, Tottenham Hotspur faced AS Monaco, ending the match in a goalless draw. The fixture, part of a busy midweek round, left Tottenham with limited preparation time, following their recent defeat to Aston Villa.
Match Overview
Tottenham’s manager, Thomas Frank, hoped for a bounce-back performance. However, the lackluster display left fans disappointed. Spurs were fortunate to escape with a point after a performance marked by missed opportunities on both sides.
Team Changes and Lineup
Injuries to Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie affected the squad depth. With overloaded fullbacks, Frank had a constrained selection for the backline. The starting defense featured:
- Kevin Danso
- Micky van de Ven
- Pedro Porro
- Joao Palhinha
- Archie Gray (as left back)
Further upfield, Richarlison and Lucas Bergvall replaced Mathys Tel and Xavi Simons, respectively. Despite the changes, Tottenham struggled to create clear chances.
First Half Recap
Tottenham’s first half performance was disappointing. The team barely managed to create opportunities, while Monaco exploited gaps in the defense. Folarin Balogun came close to scoring twice, but Guglielmo Vicario made crucial saves to maintain parity.
Second Half Developments
The second half continued with Monaco dominating play. Key chances included:
- A close header from Thilo Kehrer, narrowly missing the target.
- Another stunning save by Vicario from Jordan Teze’s header.
- Three clear opportunities for Takumi Minamino, one of which was a penalty attempt that went over the crossbar.
Spurs managed a late chance through Pape Matar Sarr but couldn’t capitalize on it, as Brennan Johnson’s shot was blocked.
Conclusion
The match concluded with both teams sharing the points in this goalless draw. Tottenham Hotspur were notably fortunate to avoid defeat amidst a performance that raised concerns ahead of upcoming fixtures.
