AS Monaco came, saw and conquered Clermont on a hot summer’s day in central France for the opening match of their 2023/24 Ligue 1 season on Sunday, August 13.
With the odds stacked against them despite their home advantage, Clermont were the first to score, thanks to a powerful header by Polish international centre back Mateusz Wieteska from a corner at only the seventh minute. However, Vanderson found the equaliser at the 26th minute, having first been found by Takumi Minamino with a pinpoint pass across the hosts’ backline.
An attentive Philippe Köhn kept the scoreline level with a goal stopping save from point blank range just over 10 minutes later, before captain Wissam Ben Yedder brought Monaco ahead by scoring a deflected shot into an empty goal at the 43rd minute.
It was Clermont’s Muhammed Cham with a goal to bring the hosts ahead after returning from the locker room, scoring from close range to equalise at the 53rd minute.
Ben Yedder did one better by scoring again at the 100th Monaco goal, and the second of the match, at the 71st minute. The skipper seemed mentally sound despite recent developments.
Already ahead, the Monégasques did not take their foot off the gas, as Monaco youngster Magnus Akliouche scored his first Ligue 1 goal in injury time to bring the Principality side ahead by 2-4 before the full time whistle blew to signal the first victory of the season.
The team will now set their sights on the next fixture, against Strasbourg on Sunday, August 20.
