Clinical Provence too strong for Monaco

Provence confirmed their status as one of the N.F.-Board’s more powerful sides as a strong first-half display saw them cruise to a 6-1 win over Monaco in Saint-Zacharie on Wednesday night. A Pape Fall hat-trick was added to by strikes from Anthony Mendy and Nicolas Ferrero with the Monegasque record-scorer Olivier Lechner scoring their consolation in a goal-filled first period. Romain Campagna netted the final goal for the hosts to complete the rout.

Dominant...Provence before the rout

When these sides last met in 2008 a tight 3-2 victory represented Provence’s first as an N.F.-Board member but the change in the gulf in class was clear to see in a dominant opening 45 for the hosts. Pape Fall struck first on his Provence debut before doubling the lead 6 minutes after, rifling a powerful effort beyond Maxime Julien. La Cayolle striker Anthony Mendy fired home the third goal on the half hour mark before, two minutes later, 26-year old Olivier Lechner pulled one back for Monaco to make it 3-1 and claim his first strike in national colours since a brace against the Vatican City in 2011.  Any hopes the principality had of a comeback were short-lived however as Fall wrapped up his first-half hat-trick in the 36th minute after being played in by Nicolas Ferrero. The difference between the semi-professionals and the amateurs was made even clearer when Ferrero, one of six players in the squad who was not making his debut, smartly dispatched the fifth goal one minute before the break.

Consolation...Lechner (with captains armband)
poses with the Monaco team pre-game

The hosts pulled their foot off the gas in the second-half but Romain Campagna made it 6-1 for the 2012 VIVA World Cup semi-finalists in the 55th minute. Both teams made substitutions as the game wore on with Monaco able to prevent conceding further whilst creating no clear-cut chances of their own. Campagna almost added a seventh goal in the dying moments but Julien was on hand to divert the shot past the post. Ultimately Philippe Burgio’s men were happy to settle for 6-1, their second biggest win at non-FIFA level. 

Neither side have any games lined up although Monaco may well play host to an unnamed N.F.-Board member over the summer, and also have preliminary plans to travel to the Vatican for game in July. 

Match information – 

Score: Provence 6 – 1 Monaco

Goals: Provence – Pape Fall 16', 22', 36' Anthony Mendy 30' Nicolas Ferrero 44' Romain Campagna 55’. Monaco – Olivier Lechner 32’.

Provence XI: Bosselet; Samat; Barnel, Lescoualch [Garnier 53'], Chrétien; Boukrouche [N'Diaye 50'], Ferréro Nicolas, Naffati [Jorbet 46'], MDahoma; Mendy, Fall [Campagna 47'].

Monaco XI: Julien; Vassalo, Santini, Dotta [Dioury 50'], Salvo; Casagrande [Scarlot 67'], Bovini, Petit [Sabine 60'], Landau, El Missouri; Lechner.