PLAYER RATINGS | Monaco 2-2 Auxerre: ASM salvage draw but miss chance to close gap to podium

PLAYER RATINGS | Monaco 2-2 Auxerre: ASM salvage draw but miss chance to close gap to podium Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Gameweek 30, 19/04/26 AS Monaco came from two goals down to salvage a draw at home to AJ Auxerre (2-2), but missed the chance to make big inroads in their quest to secure UEFA Champions League football for next season. The Match On a day in which Monaco celebrated 50 years of their renowned academy, Auxerre looked to spoil the party and quickly raced into a surprise lead. There was little that the Principality club could do about it.

A Romain Faivre corner was cleared but only to Kévin Danois, who picked out the looping ball and put his first-time volley past Lukas Hradecky and into the bottom corner. There was no marked improvement from Monaco, who lacked precision and incision as they sought to break down a side that remained compact in their quest to secure a vital three points. And it was Auxerre, looking to close the gap to OGC Nice, who gave themselves a greater cushion when Lassine Sinayoko’s volley squirmed under Hradecky.

There were only half-chances and penalty shouts for Monaco in the first 45. Simon Adingra came on at half-time to bring some attacking momentum. Soon after, Jordan Teze truly tested Donovan Léon for the first-time.

Léon couldn’t keep out Ansu Fati’s shot minutes later and, just two minutes after the Barcelona loanee halved the deficit, Folarin Balogun was brought over by the Auxerre goalkeeper. The USMNT forward dusted himself off and blasted the penalty right down the middle to level proceedings. It sparked a frantic period, during which Balogun saw a goal disallowed for a fractional offside – after Fati had held onto the ball for a fraction too long – and a chance for Sinayoko, who, with time and space inside the Monaco box, put a tepid effort right into the arms of the grateful Hradecky.