Ligue 1, Round 3, August 31, 2025
AS Monaco secured a dramatic 3-2 victory against RC Strasbourg Alsace in a captivating match that saw five goals. Takumi Minamino emerged as the hero, scoring an injury-time winner, after Dilane Bakwa had initiated a spirited comeback for Strasbourg from a two-goal deficit.
The Match Overview
Monaco began the encounter with noticeable intensity, though this initial drive soon waned. Folarin Balogun came close to an early goal in the fourth minute, flicking a ball just wide. Just two minutes later, the USMNT forward was instrumental in the opener; his relentless pressure on Mike Penders led to a dispossession, allowing Maghnes Akliouche to tap the ball into an open net.
However, Monaco then adopted a more passive approach, which allowed Strasbourg to build confidence. Valentín Barco`s corner found Diego Moreira unmarked in the box, but his scuffed effort required a good save from Lukas Hradecky.
Hradecky was soon beaten by Joaquin Panichelli`s header from six yards, but Monaco was saved by the offside flag. Balogun continued to trouble Strasbourg`s defense, eventually forcing a save from Penders after a neat give-and-go.
Balogun finally got his goal shortly after halftime. Seconds earlier, Strasbourg could have equalized, but a tackle on Paez following a one-on-one with Hradecky immediately led to Monaco`s counter-attack. Lamine Camara set up Balogun, who finished calmly with a chip. The Principality club had opportunities to extend their lead; Akliouche had a shot deflected over, and Aleksandr Golovin chose to pass to Mika Biereth, who finished, but was in an offside position, disallowing the goal.
Monaco was made to regret these missed chances. Dilane Bakwa, a half-time substitute, made a significant impact. Another substitute, Samuel Amo-Ameyaw, delivered a ball to the back post for Bakwa to volley home, reducing the deficit. Just two minutes later, the France youth international was again central to the equalizer.
Bakwa skillfully drove past Caio Henrique into the Monaco box. Henrique`s lazy challenge resulted in Bakwa going down, and Joaquín Panichelli converted the subsequent penalty. In the process, Lukas Hradecky sustained an injury and was replaced by Philipp Köhn. Monaco almost regained the lead moments later, but Eric Dier`s header was cleared off the line by Panichelli.
Strasbourg also pushed for a winner, appearing more likely to score. Paez forced a good low save from substitute Köhn, and Amo-Ameyaw continued to create problems on the left flank. Yet, it was Monaco who ultimately snatched all three points. Akliouche, composed inside the box, found Minamino at the back post. The Japan international headed home the dramatic winner. The match concluded with more drama as Rabby Nzingoula was sent off for Strasbourg after an altercation with Jordan Teze.
Following their defeat last week against Lille OSC, Monaco returned to winning ways, while Strasbourg suffered their first loss of the season.
Player Ratings
Monaco Player Ratings
- Lukas Hradecky – 6: Performed well, denying Moreira in the first half and making a crucial tackle on Paez which directly led to Balogun`s goal. However, he might have reacted better to Bakwa`s volley.
- Caio Henrique – 4: Struggled defensively, notably involved in the penalty incident.
- Christian Mawissa – 4: Had difficulties in defense throughout the game.
- Eric Dier – 6: A solid performance at the back, almost scoring a header that was cleared off the line.
- Jordan Teze – 6: Contributed effectively on his flank and was involved in the late altercation.
- Aleksandr Golovin – 3: Made several poor decisions, frequently choosing the wrong option and showing wastefulness in possession. He seemed out of sync with the team`s rhythm.
- Denis Zakaria – 5: A moderate performance in midfield.
- Lamine Camara – 5: Provided the assist for Balogun`s goal but otherwise had a quiet game.
- Maghnes Akliouche – 8: Celebrated his first France call-up with a goal and was a constant threat. His composure in the 96th minute to set up Minamino for the winner was exceptional.
- Folarin Balogun – 8: Possibly his best game for Monaco, showcasing excellent hold-up play, dangerous runs, and a well-deserved goal.
- Mika Biereth – 4: Had a limited impact and saw his only goal disallowed for offside.
Strasbourg Player Ratings
- Mike Penders – 3: At fault for Monaco`s opening goal and appeared uneasy when pressed, hindering Strasbourg`s attempts to play out from the back.
-
Ismaël Doukouré – 4: Substituted early.
- Dilane Bakwa (sub) – 8: An outstanding substitute performance. He was uncontainable for large spells, creating nearly all of Strasbourg`s best chances, scoring one goal, and winning the penalty.
- Mamadou Sarr – 4: Struggled with Monaco`s attacking players.
- Lucas Hogsberg – 4: Had a tough game defensively.
- Diego Moreira – 6: Showed flashes of skill and was involved in early attacks.
- Valentín Barco – 7: An influential player, creating opportunities and contributing significantly.
- Mathis Amougou – 5: A satisfactory but not spectacular performance in midfield.
-
Guemissongui Ouattara – 4: Replaced during the match.
- Kendry Paez (sub) – 5: Showed some attacking intent after coming on.
- Rafael Luís – 5: A decent effort in midfield.
- Joaquin Panichelli – 7: Acted as an effective focal point for Strasbourg`s attack, converting his penalty well and making key defensive clearances.
