Woeful Monaco dumped out of French Cup by Metz

Paris (AFP) – Monaco saw their season take another turn for the worse with a shock 3-1 home defeat by Metz in the French Cup Tuesday on a sombre night for football in the country after the suspected death of former Nantes striker Emiliano Sala.

Thierry Henry’s struggling principality side, who are winless at home in the league this season and stuck in the top flight’s relegation zone, failed to bounce back from the weekend’s 5-1 thrashing by Strasbourg.

A minute’s silence was held before the last-32 game in tribute to Argentinian Sala, who is missing presumed dead after a light aircraft he was travelling in disappeared over the English Channel just three days after his move to Premier League club Cardiff City.

Nantes’ Cup game against third-division side Entente Sannois Saint-Gratien was postponed from Wednesday until Sunday.

Monaco got off to a typically poor start at the Stade Louis II, as Gauthier Hein pounced on sloppy play in the home defence to curl a magnificent left-footed strike into the top corner to give his second-tier side a 32nd-minute lead.

Radamel Falcao levelled for the hosts seven minutes later, but Metz restored their advantage just after the hour mark when Marvin Gakpa capped a fine team move with a powerful drive past goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.

The second-half entry of Cesc Fabregas as a substitute failed to inspire Monaco, as the visitors wrapped up victory with another flowing attack, cutting the hapless home defence to shreds before Ibrahima Niane tapped home.

Elsewhere, Lille, second in Ligue 1, edged out fourth-tier Sete 1-0, while last season’s surprise finalists Les Herbiers bowed out to third-tier Villefranche with a 2-0 loss.