U23 Report: Saints 0-3 AS Monaco

The young Saints shaded a largely uneventful first period, but the French visitors were transformed after the interval.

Substitute Nabil Alioui was the star, scoring within two minutes of coming on, before doubling his tally soon after.

Owen Naes capped an impressive second-half display with an instant third, as the game slipped away from Saints.

The Monaco goal glut was in stark contrast to the cagey start to proceedings, with neither side able to fashion a notable chance in the first half.

Alex Jankewitz’s eye-catching piece of skill to bamboozle Edgares Utkus would be worthy of any highlight reel, but attempts on goal were not forthcoming at either end.

It was from another moment of Jankewitz magic that the deadlock first came under threat after 33 minutes, as the Swiss earned a free-kick near the right corner of the penalty area courtesy of some more nifty footwork.

From Callum Slattery’s inviting delivery, Kayne Ramsay just got caught under the ball and headed over when anything on target would have left goalkeeper Theo Louis very little time to react.

Saints then caused problems from a similar position by virtue of another set-piece, when Slattery’s ball in bounced in the six-yard box with Christoph Klarer poised to pounce, only for a stray arm to catch him in the face.

Unintentional, perhaps, but certainly the sort of infringement that would likely be punished outside the penalty area.

Saints were beginning to wrestle control by catching Monaco in possession in their own territory, while Christian Norton saw two shots blocked in quick succession shortly before the interval.

Having ended the first period on the back foot, the visitors began the second half with a spring in their step, as skipper Safwan Mbae headed over from a corner before Naes curled a 25-yard free-kick narrowly wide.

Then Eric Ayiah escaped the offside trap but made a mess of the finish, ensuring Tommy Scott remained untroubled in the Saints goal – at least until he was forced to stick out a foot to repel a low shot at his near post minutes later.

It was from the resulting corner that Alioui pounced, fresh from the bench, to steer the ball home at the near post.

Saints might have levelled from a corner of their own, when Slattery’s cross fizzed across the danger area, but instead Monaco would put the game to bed with two goals in a minute.

First Alioui was in the right place again, this time to steer home the rebound after fellow substitute Romen Faivre was denied by Scott, before Naes raced in behind the defence to calmly slot home number three and complete the scoring.