Monaco’s unbeaten start to the season was under threat from the off as Lens pinned the home side into their own half, and it did not take long for the visitors to find the opening strike. After winning the ball back on the counter-press, David Costa sent an inch-perfect ball across the face of goal where Loïs Openda was waiting to stab home.
It only got worse for the home side, and as Monaco pushed to equalise they left themselves vulnerable at the back. The second goal came off the back of another turnover deep in the Monaco half, and after winning the ball back, Deiver Machado had plenty of space to drive into and arrow the ball into the bottom corner to double Lens’ lead on the road. Dramatically, Monaco pulled one back only two minutes later thanks to a headed Benoît Badiashile strike from a corner, cutting the deficit in half in the dying minutes of the first half.
It was much of the same in the second half, with Monaco searching for the levelling goal, and Lens looking to hit on the break. The game finally swung back in favour of the away side when Florian Sotoca was taken down in the box by Breel Embolo, forcing the referee to award Lens a penalty. The subsequent spot-kick was thundered home by Seko Fofana, restoring the visitors’ two-goal lead just before the hour mark.
Monaco’s hopes of a comeback were dashed with 20 minutes remaining when Vanderson received his second yellow card of the match, seeing the Brazilian sent to the dressing rooms early. Lens quickly took advantage of their numerical superiority when substitute Wesley Saïd, who scored a superb solo goal from the left-wing with one of his first touches in the match, drove the final nail into Monaco’s coffin.
ASM were thoroughly outplayed on the day, and as a result, Philippe Clement’s side suffered defeat in only their second Ligue 1 clash at home in their last 18 at the Stade Louis II.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Seko Fofana (RC Lens)