Guingamp 1 : 0 Monaco - Guingamp end Monaco unbeaten run

Posted Sunday, February 08, 2015 by PA

Monaco spurned the chance to move up to fourth in Ligue 1 when they fell to a 1-0 defeat at 10-man Guingamp to see their 14-game unbeaten run come to an end.

Guingamp were reduced to 10 men midway through the first half when striker Moustapha Diallo was sent off for a dangerous tackle, but they earned all three points courtesy of Dorian Leveque's close-range finish early in the second half.

Monaco, stunned after conceding their first goal in nine league matches, could not make their numerical advantage count during the remainder of the second half as they fell to their first defeat since their 2-0 loss at Rennes at the end of November.

Victory for Jocelyn Gourvennec's Guingamp moved them up to 10th in the standings, while Leonardo Jardim's Monaco remain fifth, a point behind fourth-placed St Etienne.

Monaco were held to goalless draws by Lyon last Sunday and Bastia in midweek, and it was Guingamp who carved out the better opportunities in the opening minutes.

Christophe Mandanne really should have done better when he found himself free in space down the right channel, but the groans were evident among the Stade du Roudourou faithful when the 30-year-old forward dragged his shot wide of Danijel Subasic's post.

Monaco took a while to get going but would have been ahead in the 18th minute had it not been for the athleticism of home keeper Jonas Lossl. The diving Dane used every inch of his 6ft 5in frame to push a thunderous 25-yard shot from Yannick Ferreira Carrasco on to the post.

Guingamp were reduced to 10 men five minutes later when Diallo was adjudged to have been over-zealous when challenging for the ball in midfield and was shown a red card by referee Ruddy Buquet.

Monaco could not make their numerical advantage count during the remainder of the first half and were left cursing their lack of composure in front of goal when Guingamp took the lead five minutes into the second period.

Striker Claudio Beauvue raced down the right wing and sent a fizzing low cross to the back post where an unmarked Leveque tapped home to send the home supporters into a frenzy.

Jardim responded by sending on Bernardo Silva and Anthony Martial but, except for a couple of half-chances, the principality club rarely threatened the hosts' goal.

Beauvue could have doubled Guingamp's lead in the 74th minute when he beat Monaco's offside trap but Subasic raced off his line to smother.

Subasic's opposite number Lossl made an even better save with his legs with 10 minutes left to deny Geoffrey Kondogbia, who had raced clear only to be denied by the in-form stopper.

Monaco peppered Guingamp's goal in the closing stages, but the home defence remained resolute and picked up their 10th league victory of the season to continue their recent fine form.