Paris Brunner was on the scoresheet again, continuing his excellent start to the season and ensuring that AS Monaco returned to winning ways. The German netted in a 2-1 win over Lens that sends the Principality club to the top of Ligue 1.
“I always believe that we are going to win,” said Filipe Luís after his sixth win from a possible seven. Precedent justifies the Brazilian’s unwavering confidence, but as his side were put under the cosh in the second-half of Friday night’s game under the lights of the Stade Louis II, the path to victory was not clearly lit.
A victory through suffering was how Luís put it. “We struggled a lot,” admitted Luís, still unbeaten since being appointed Monaco manager over the summer. “I feel that my players are starting to enjoy this moment of suffering and competing together. It is such a difficult league; sometimes you have to suffer. We stuck together.”
It was a show of unity against a club divided. Cracks appeared at Lens this week, culminating in the shock exit of Dino Toppmoller, only named Lens manager over the summer. It was Yannick Cahuzac, who arrived as an assistant over the summer, who led the side for the first time. Hoping for a new manager bounce, it was perhaps unsurprisingly the Principality club who started the more coherent of the two sides.
Abline and Brunner run Lens ragged
It was only fine margins that prevented Monaco from blowing away their opponents in the first half. Abline and Edan Diop both found the back of the net, only for the offside flag to deny them on both occasions. It was Abline himself who was beyond the last defender for the first and Brunner who was offside in the build-up for the second. But the pair were both onside to combine for the opener. From a long ball from Vanderson, Abline stripped Jean-Clair Todibo for pace. The West Ham loanee beaten, his centre-back partner, Kyllian Antonio, sought to help but in doing so left Brunner completely unmarked to finish first-time past Robin Risser.
Brunner tested Risser once again. This time the France international was equal to the effort but could only push it straight into the path of Abline. This one would have counted had he hit the target; alas, he did not, with his weak effort dribbling wide. Denis Zakaria then stung Risser’s palms with a long-range effort.
“They caused us quite a lot of problems in the first-half,” said Cahuzac. That was not the story of the second-half, however. Lens “solved the problems” at half-time, said the newly-appointed manager, and whilst Abline once again had the ball in the back of the net, only to be denied once again by the offside flag, it was a rare sight of the goal for Filipe Luís’ side, who were forced to suffer.
Lens in a charitable mood
The equaliser came from a corner where Monaco simply switched off, allowing Matthieu Udol to drift to the near post and head unmarked past Lukas Hradecky. The Finland international was the busier of the two goalkeepers thereafter. He did well to tip a Thorgan Hazard effort around the corner, but he crucially wasn’t tested by Franjo Ivanovic, who, found in the box, could only head over the Monaco goal.
It was a let-off, and the visitors were even more charitable to their hosts in the dying stages. It was a hopeful cross from Vanderson, and whilst Brunner rose to contest it, he didn’t make contact. Jonathan Gradit, just behind him, did, turning past his own goalkeeper. USMNT forward Folarin Balogun, on his return, had a late chance to make the three points secure. He couldn’t, but neither could Udol find the net when he headed at the near post once again. Hradecky was there to gather, and he didn’t have time to clear before full-time was whistled.
A friendly to maintain Monaco’s momentum
Abline said that this Monaco side “can go far” this season. They can’t go any higher, but naturally, Luís is looking over his shoulder. “You know me, I’m very humble. It is only five games; I’m very happy with the performances in those five games, but it is a long marathon. The best team in the world (Paris Saint-Germain) is in our league. The next thing is to celebrate, to rest, and then to look forward to Toulouse,” said Luís.
It is a long time to wait for Monaco, who have momentum. A friendly (against an as-yet-undefined opponent) will ensure that the players who remain in La Turbie, rather than joining up with their respective international team, aren’t left twiddling their thumbs over the course of this abnormally long international break. Balogun has fitness to build, as do Takumi Minamino and Mohammed Salisu, both returning from ACL injuries. Brunner, once again “fantastic” in the words, will not be one of those to stick around. His performances have earned him a maiden call-up to Germany’s U21 side.
“The injured players need to play more,” said Luís, who will also hope to have Jordan Teze, Anis Soubeir, and Ansu Fati up to speed by the time Ligue 1 returns next month. This isn’t a Monaco side at full strength, but it has been a very strong start to a season that began with low expectations that week-by-week, have been exceeded by Luís and his men.
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Photo source: AS Monaco
