Key Takeaways
- Folarin Balogun made his first appearance of the season for Monaco.
- Monaco won 2-1 against RC Lens, maintaining their strong start in Ligue 1.
- Balogun's return came after a controversial red card during the World Cup.
Folarin Balogun made his first appearance of the season as Monaco secured a 2-1 victory over RC Lens in Ligue 1, continuing their strong start to the season.
The match, played on Friday, saw Paris Brunner score the opening goal for Monaco, marking his sixth goal in seven games since the beginning of the campaign.
RC Lens, who were without their coach Dino Toppmoller, who was sacked after six games, managed to equalize through Matthieu Udol in the 60th minute, bringing the score to 1-1.
However, Monaco's Jonathan Gradit inadvertently scored an own goal in the 84th minute, sealing the win for the principality club.
With this victory, Monaco remain unbeaten in the league, accumulating 13 points from five matches, three points clear of the nearest challengers, Lille and Rennes.
Balogun, who was at the center of controversy after receiving a red card in the World Cup, returned to the field in the 76th minute, catching the eye with his performances during the tournament where he scored three goals for the United States.
The 25-year-old former Arsenal striker had been linked with a move to Everton, but the transfer was canceled at the last minute.
Monaco's victory sets the stage for upcoming matches, with Rennes visiting Olympique Lyonnais, Lille facing Nice, and Paris Saint-Germain hosting Olympique de Marseille in the coming weekend.
RC Lens, now under the management of former player Yannick Cahuzac, will look to bounce back from this defeat, while Monaco will aim to maintain their top position in the league standings.
