AS Monaco edged closer to a Champions League play-off spot with a commanding 5-1 victory over Red Star Belgrade, marking their second win in three group-stage matches. Despite a challenging first half where the Serbians initially held their own, the Red and Whites dominated the second period to secure the vital win under the watchful eyes of club president Dmitry Rybolovlev at Stade Louis-II.

Heading into the match, Monaco remained unbeaten this season with seven wins from ten matches, including an impressive victory over Barcelona (2-1) and a hard-fought draw in Zagreb (2-2). The team, led by Denis Zakaria and managed by Adi Hütter, were full of confidence as they aimed to solidify their position in the play-offs. Hütter opted for his favored 4-2-3-1 formation, with Akliouche, Minamino, and Ben Seghir leading the attack, while Radeck Majecki made his return in goal.

The match began with a vibrant Champions League atmosphere, and Monaco quickly set the tone. Eliesse Ben Seghir had an early opportunity from a Vanderson cross but failed to convert. Red Star responded swiftly with Olayinka’s header from a corner, comfortably saved by Majecki.

Monaco finally broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, thanks to a sublime pass from Wilfried Singo that set up Takumi Minamino for a clinical finish, marking the Japanese international’s second goal of the season. However, Red Star quickly leveled the score when Cherif Ndiaye won and converted a penalty in the 27th minute.

In a tense end to the first half, Breel Embolo restored Monaco’s lead with a well-placed shot in stoppage time, his first official goal of the season giving Monaco a 2-1 advantage at the break.

The second half saw Monaco assert complete dominance. Just nine minutes after the restart, Singo doubled his contribution with a stunning 35-meter strike that flew into the top corner, making it 3-1. Embolo thought he had added a fourth, but his goal was ruled out for handball shortly after.

Monaco continued to pile on the pressure, hitting the woodwork twice through Maghnes Akliouche and Aleksandr Golovin. Their relentless attacking was finally rewarded when Minamino struck again in the 70th minute, slotting home from an Embolo pass to make it 4-1.

The icing on the cake came in stoppage time when Akliouche, a product of Monaco’s youth academy, capped off the scoring with a fine finish, sealing the 5-1 victory.

With this emphatic win, Monaco moved closer to securing a Champions League play-off spot, maintaining their unbeaten run and showcasing their attacking prowess once again.