Recap: Camara's late strike leads AS Monaco
Match Reports
In a seen-to-be-believed finish, summer signing Lamine Camara powered AS Monaco to a 2-1 home win on Saturday night. The midfielder, on as a substitute, scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time to help keep the Principality side level with Paris Saint-Germain atop the Ligue 1 McDonald's table as visiting Montpellier HSC finished the match with ten men.
A nervy beginning...
Montpellier have certainly had their issues to start the season, but having recorded a vital win over Auxerre last weekend, might have felt some confidence, despite the absence of several players, including attacker Musa Al-Tamaari and midfielder Joris Chotard. Monaco, by turn, entered the match with a relatively clean bill of health, but would surely be looking not only to their upcoming UEFA Champions League match but also to the dozens of club legends, from Arsene Wenger to Emanuel Petit, who had gathered to watch the club celebrate their centenary.
The hosts bossed the early going, with a pair of good chances from Breel Embolo early on, but it would be La Paillade who got themselves on the scoresheet first, with young midfielder Rabby Nzingoula breaking the deadlock with just 16 minutes on the clock. Monaco pushed hard to respond, but just a minute later, were lucky not to be two goals down as Mohammed Salisu cleared a shot off his line.
Folarin Balogun scores again 🇺🇸✨
⚽️ Round 5 vs. Le Havre
⚽️ Round 6 vs. Montpellier pic.twitter.com/uwhqnDfotF— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) September 28, 2024
...and a solid response!
Monaco would have an equalizer soon enough, though, as Folarin Balogun found the net just past the half-hour mark, scoring for the second match in a row. The match continued to fulminate after the break, as well, with both the woodwork and the two goalkeepers ensuring the match stayed level as it entered its final stanza. Montpellier almost nicked a win through TĂ©ji Savanier as the captain struck the woodwork on a free kick, but as the match edged into added time, and with Tanguy Coulibaly sent off, it was the providential Camara who made the difference, scoring from range with a shot that crashed in off the post.
With five wins and a draw from six Ligue 1 matches, AS Monaco continue their strong form, and will take heart from this result ahead of both their trip to Zagreb in Europe and a tricky visit to Stade Rennais on Saturday. Montpellier, meanwhile, will head to Reims on Sunday, hoping to get their first points away from home this season.
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