PARIS: Gabriel Boschilia’s strike gave Monaco a 1-0 win at Nantes on Saturday, despite coach Leonardo Jardim making wholesale changes ahead of their Champions League play-off, second leg against Villarreal on Tuesday.
Brazilian winger Boschilia grabbed the only goal of the game with a first-half free-kick, and a toothless Nantes outfit never seriously threatened a much-changed Monaco team.
Jardim’s principality side claimed a 2-1 away win in Spain on Wednesday to close in on a place in the Champions League group stage.
Bernardo Silva scored the winner at El Madrigal in midweek, after also coming off the bench to grab his team a 2-2 draw at Guingamp last weekend in their Ligue 1 opener.
Portuguese coach Jardim made eight alterations to the starting XI that beat Villarreal, resting Fabinho and Silva, who had scored four goals in the last week between them, altogether.
Monaco surprisingly fell two goals behind to Guingamp last week before rescuing a point, but they started brightly at the Stade de la Beaujoire on Saturday and forged ahead in the 25th minute.
Debutant Corentin Jean, signed from relegated Troyes, was brought down in a dangerous area by Diego Carlos.
Boschilia, making his first appearance since returning from a loan spell at Belgian club Standard Liege, curled an excellent left-footed free-kick past Nantes goalkeeper Remy Riou and into the top corner.
Nantes defender Diego Carlos came close to an equalizer shortly after half-time, but his towering header landed on the roof of the net.
The Canaries had another opportunity just before the hour mark, but Nicolaj Thomsen, who scored their winner on his debut last weekend at Dijon, headed straight at visiting keeper Danijel Subasic when unmarked in the area.
A brawl broke out late on as the Nantes players were left frustrated in their attempts to salvage a point, but Monaco held on to the three points with little trouble.
Cologne runs riot, RB Leipzig exits German Cup
Cologne routed sixth-division Berlin-based BFC Preussen 7-0 on Saturday in the first round of the German Cup, as newly-promoted RB Leipzig were the only Bundesliga team to suffer a shock defeat.
Leipzig, sponsored by energy drink giants Red Bull, will make their debut in Germany’s top flight when the new season starts next weekend.
But they were dumped out of the cup by neighbors and rivals Dynamo Dresden after the tie was decided by a penalty shoot-out.
Second-division Dresden came from 2-0 down at home to take the game to extra-time.
In the shoot-out, Leipzig captain Dominik Kaiser, who had converted a penalty to put RB 2-0 up in the first half of normal time, missed their fourth spot-kick to hand Dresden victory.
Elsewhere, Japan striker Yuya Osako came off the bench to net twice in the last ten minutes in Berlin as Cologne floored Preussen.
Borussia Moechengladbach, who are 3-1 up in their Champions League play-off after beating Young Boys away in the first leg in midweek, squeezed past fourth-division Drochtersen/Assel 1-0 with a second-half goal.
Schalke 04 eased to a 4-1 win at sixth-division Villingen with Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar getting their fourth goal to put the Royal Blues into the second round.
On Friday, Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick as holders Bayern Munich romped to a 5-0 win at fourth-tier club Carl Zeiss Jena.
The first-round action continues on Sunday, with last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund going to minnows Eintracht Trier on Monday.
Boschilia gives Monaco victory at Nantes
Boschilia gives Monaco victory at Nantes
Dubai Basketball edge Milan to secure EuroLeague victory
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball strengthened their home-court reputation with a 99-92 win over EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 18 of the EuroLeague at Coca-Cola Arena on Tuesday, cheered on by more than 5,000 fans.
The hosts made a fast start and immediately imposed themselves at both ends of the floor. Canadian center Mfiondu Kabengele and Serbian big man Filip Petrusev controlled the paint early, creating close-range scoring opportunities and forcing Milan into defensive adjustments. With McKinley Wright IV and Dwayne Bacon adding pace and penetration, Dubai surged into a double-digit lead and dictated the tempo of the opening quarter.
Milan struggled to settle and spent much of the first period on the back foot, as Dubai’s advantage stretched to 15 points. Although the visitors steadied themselves as the quarter progressed, the early deficit proved costly.
Dubai head coach Jurica Golemac praised the impact of the home crowd after the game, saying: “Congratulations to the fans. We were missing them for sure in the last home game, and they helped us a lot. In the first quarter, we played one of our best quarters this season. The next game is at home in three days, so there is no time to rest too much. We need to prepare for that game first. We are not thinking three games ahead — we prepare for every game and try to win every game.”
Milan showed improved rhythm in the second quarter, but Dubai responded before the break. Bacon punished defensive lapses from beyond the arc, while Kabengele finished strongly inside to help the hosts take a seven-point lead into halftime.
The final period was defined by composure rather than flair. Milan threatened to draw level on several occasions, but missed free throws and execution errors halted their momentum. Bacon sealed the outcome from the free-throw line in the final two minutes, pushing Dubai back into a double-digit advantage and closing out the contest.
Bacon led all scorers with 25 points, while Wright recorded 19 points and nine assists. Kabengele added 17 points, and Petrusev contributed 13 points and seven rebounds. For Milan, Guduric topped the scoring with 11 points, alongside seven rebounds and seven assists.
Dubai Basketball now turn their attention to the ABA League, where they remain unbeaten. The team return to Coca-Cola Arena to face Slovenia’s KRKA in Round 12 of the competition.
