O'Neil ends 'crazy few days' with Strasbourg cup canter

Merely three days into his appointment as Strasbourg manager, Gary O'Neil kicked off his time in charge with a resounding 6-0 triumph against fourth-division side Avranches, securing a spot in the French Cup's last 16 on Saturday.

"It has been a whirlwind three days," remarked the English coach following the match.

"Things progressed at breakneck speed, yet it was crucial today to complete the task at hand," he continued.

Meanwhile, Monaco, who had not tasted victory in Ligue 1 since November, managed to hold firm despite playing with 10 players en route to a 3-1 success over third-division Orleans.

In Normandy, Strasbourg showed no signs of disruption after parting ways with one English manager, Liam Rosenior, who joined Chelsea, and introducing another in ex-Wolves head coach O'Neil on Wednesday.

"The 6-0 result suggests it was straightforward, but that ease stems from our diligent approach since I began sessions on Thursday and continued yesterday," O'Neil explained.

"The players tackled the match with real professionalism, delivering a solid victory for the whole squad."

Strasbourg surged ahead with three goals before the interval and tacked on another trio post-restart, allowing O'Neil to rotate his lineup extensively.

"Our aim was to build an advantage early, enabling rotations so I could assess more of the group. It worked out well, as I observed 16 players in action today."

"A positive start over these initial days, and now we focus on the work ahead. I have relished the past three days."

Monaco, missing 10 vital squad members, appeared jittery and found it tough to dominate. They edged in front when Folarin Balogun slotted home a scarce chance in the 27th minute of the opening period.

Once Stanis Idumbo received his second booking in the 44th minute, Monaco adopted a defensive stance.

They weathered multiple threats before substitute George Ilenikhena, aged 19 and replacing Balogun, netted in the 88th minute and once more deep into stoppage time.

Two minutes after that, Fahd El Khoumisti pulled one back for the home side.

"Qualifying was the priority. The team's resilience, competing with 10 against 11, stood out," commented Monaco's Sebastien Pocognoli.

Over in Angers, Norwegian stopper Kjetil Haug denied two penalties as Toulouse prevailed in a Ligue 1 showdown via a shoot-out.

The fixture pitting Ligue 1 frontrunners Lens against third-tier Sochaux got deferred until Sunday owing to snowfall.