In the first leg, the Nantes managed to snatch a draw on the lawn of Juventus. As for Monaco, Philippe Clement’s players won.
SourceAFP
© ISABELLA BONOTTO / ANADOLU AGENCY / Anadolu Agency via AFP
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Monaco made the very good operation of the play-offs of accession to the knockout stages of the Europa League by winning 3-2 in added time Thursday in Leverkusen, while Nantes brought back a superb 1-1 draw from their trip at Juventus. Only of the three French teams involved, Rennes lost 2-1 in Warsaw, against the Ukrainians of Shakhtar Donetsk (2-1). In the big game of the evening, Barcelona and Manchester United parted ways in a 2-2 draw after putting on a show worthy of the Champions League. Sevilla FC, four times winner of the competition since 2015, for its part made the break against PSV Eindhoven by winning 3-0 at home.
Monaco at the end of the effort
Monaco first opened the scoring with a gag goal, when Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky scored against his side under pressure from Breel Embolo (1-0, 9e). The two teams then went blow for blow, with two goals from Leverkusen (Moussa Diaby, 48eFlorian Wirtz, 59e), and a few moments of great turbulence for Monaco. But the principality’s players showed great character by equalizing (Krepin Diatta, 74e) and snatching the victory 3-2 in added time (Axel Disasi, 90e + 2).
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Uninspired reindeer
Rennes, who played in Warsaw, where Shakhtar Donetsk play their European matches due to the war ravaging Ukraine, was jostled and can be happy to be still alive, only one goal behind.
Dmytro Kryskiv (11e) and Artem Bondarenko (45e + 1 on penalty) first knocked out the uninspired Bretons in the first period. But Karl Toko Ekambi scored the goal of hope, his first in Red and Black (59e) since his transfer from Lyon. It is however, for Rennes, a seventh defeat in 11 games, in all competitions. The Rennais also lost Benjamin Bourigeaud, who will be suspended for the second leg after another yellow card.
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Wonderful people from Nantes
The Nantes, who arrived as outsiders in Turin to face Juventus of Angel Di Maria and Adrien Rabiot, have achieved a small feat, and have given themselves the right to dream before the return match. Perhaps impressed by the opponent, the Canaries gave in from the 13e minute, when Dusan Vlahovic concluded a superb collective movement initiated by Di Maria (1-0). But they gradually gained confidence, until their superb equalizer on the hour mark. After an 80-meter full-axis counterattack, Mostafa Mohamed very intelligently demarcated Ludovic Blas on his left, who scored a cold-blooded shot (1-1, 60e).
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