Conference League: Monaco edge Górnik Zabrze in thriller
AS Monaco started their season with a 3-2 Conference League playoff win against Polish side Górnik Zabrze -- get the latest from the Ligue 1 McDonald's team.
MIKA Biereth with an early strike
Despite some key absences -- including attackers Folarin Balogun, Ansu Fati and Matthis Abline -- it wouldn't take what was very much a first-choice Monaco side to get on the scoresheet. With two summer signings in the eleven in Mathys Detourbet and Sadibou Sané, Filipe Luis made it clear this competition will be taken seriously.
Playing a 4-4-2 with Mika Biereth and Paris Brunner in attack, the Principality side took the match to the hosts with aplomb, and the big Dane, who endured a difficult season last year, opening the scoring with Detourbet playing provider. The rest of the first half was somewhat uneven, but Monaco would have felt unlucky not to have doubled the lead on the stroke of halftime, as Eric Dier's header was cleared off the line.
Monaco with a win in Zabrze! 🇲🇨 pic.twitter.com/eauoIMpuwk
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) August 20, 2026
Three goals in seven minutes
After a rather tepid first 45 minutes, the match would spring to life in the second half. Lamine Camara, also in the eleven despite being linked with a move away from the club, found the top corner with a powerful shot (51') to double the lead, but the hosts responded through a penalty converted by Erik Prekop (53'). Five minutes later, it was Brunner's turn to find the net, matching his strike partner with a fine close-range finish.
The hosts battled back through Sondre Liseth (74') but would come no closer to an equalizer, with Dier again close to getting on the scoresheet on a header off the post. Next up for the Principality side is a match away to Le Havre on Sunday as the Monégasques kick off their Ligue 1 McDonald's campaign. The second leg of this tie will take place next Thursday at the Stade-Louis II in the Principality.
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