00:00Potentially a decisive encounter this in the fight for Champions League qualification because
00:09Monaco in second at the beginning of the day, Strasbourg in sixth, two teams separated by
00:15just three points but a victory for the home team in the principality would push them six
00:21points ahead of their opponents today and probably too much ground really for Strasbourg to make up.
00:26Monaco have been in fantastic form here in this stadium of late, 3-0 winners against Marseille
00:34last time out and looking for another victory in front of their supporters at the Stade Louis
00:39Doe today but Strasbourg are themselves in a fine run of form even if they were denied victory
00:47at home against Nice last weekend by the concession of a very late equaliser in that game.
00:56Well he felt that one, Habib Tiara and you could hear his cry very clearly.
01:09Bolo, Zakaria, lovely turn from Zakaria as he powers forward and wins the free kick, it's great running from Denis Zakaria, Monaco have not been the same team this season when he's not been available.
01:35Look, here's Magnez Akliusz, Akliusz just inside the box, the shot I think took a bit of a deflection and Petrovic with the save flying to his left, Akliusz, hottest property.
01:50Monaco have had four attempts on goal as we've just gone past the midway point in the first half, nothing yet from Strasbourg.
01:56Nill-nill it remains as Van Dersen plays the ball into the middle, Petrovic will eventually get two hands on that.
02:05Just about on the side I think, on the right hand side Van Dersen.
02:13Under the same ownership and playing in the same competition, we've seen that happen this year with Nice and Manchester United of course.
02:19Goal played forwards for Caio Enrique and it's going to be turned in by Mika Bire.
02:26And Monaco have the breakthrough right at the end of the first half.
02:33Here he's signing the ball flighting forwards, might just be a question about Caio Enrique's position.
02:40We'll see ahead of the last defender when that ball was played forwards, it was the Brazilian full-back who got the touch.
02:46Petrovic making the stop but the ball running perfectly from Bire to tuck it into an empty net.
02:57This is being checked by the VAR team and in fact the ball will not stand.
03:03And there is the half-time whistle here at the Stade Louisville.
03:10Unfortunate for Mika Bire, very, very close on that upset but he was upside.
03:18Twelve and a half games for him, it's been some of the best football this calendar year.
03:22It is Nill-Nill after 45 minutes on baseball.
03:25Monaco, we get us underway in the second half here against Strasbourg on this blustery evening here in the Principality.
03:37It remains goalless, Monaco did have the ball in the net of course in first half stoppage time but Mika Bire's effort disallowed because of an offside,
03:45a very tight offside against Caio Enrique in the build-up.
03:47Strasbourg not managing a single shot on goal in the first half, can they do better in the second half?
03:55At Clioos, Monaco winning the ball back, high up the field and then Mika Bire conceding the free kick.
04:01A little card produced, January signing of course, Monobamidele, brought in from Nottingham Forest,
04:24Dewey, the ball into the middle, right full from Moreira, lays it off for Valentin Barco.
04:32And the shot from the Argentinian is over the bar.
04:37That's better for Strasbourg, terrific running from Guilla-Dewey on the overlap,
