AS Monaco were left ruing missed opportunities after conceding in the dying moments to draw 2-2 with Cypriot side Pafos FC on Matchday 5 of the Champions League on the evening of Wednesday, November 26. Despite dominating the first half and taking an early lead, the Red and Whites couldn’t see the game out, leaving a hard-fought point on the table.

Monaco came into the clash following a narrow 1-0 win at Bodø/Glimt and were eager to maintain momentum in Europe. Pafos, meanwhile, had been quietly impressive, boasting five points from four matches, including a 1-0 victory over Villarreal in their previous outing.

Sébastien Pocognoli set up his side in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Camara and Zakaria returned to anchor midfield, while Jordan Teze and Mohammed Salisu formed the central defensive partnership. Caio Henrique and Vanderson covered the flanks, and up front, Folarin Balogun was supported by the creative trio of Akliouche, Golovin, and Minamino.

The Alphamega Stadium, basking in warm conditions, saw around 150 travelling Monaco fans making their presence felt. The visitors started on the front foot, with Akliouche firing an early shot that was tipped over by Michael. Minutes later, he slipped a neat pass to Minamino, who curled a precise effort into the bottom corner to put Monaco ahead inside five minutes.

Pafos hit back quickly, Anderson rattling the crossbar shortly afterwards. The Cypriot side’s persistence paid off when David Luiz powered a header from a corner to level the scores in the 18th minute. Monaco regained the lead in the 26th minute as Balogun capitalised on a misplayed pass outside the box, firing a fierce strike past the goalkeeper. The Red and Whites pressed for more before halftime, but several chances went begging, leaving the score at 2-1.

The second half began with continued attacking intent from Monaco, but clinical finishing proved elusive. Minamino had a one-on-one with the keeper early on, only to be denied, and Hradecký made a string of impressive saves to keep the Cypriots in the game.

Monaco’s frustrations peaked in the 89th minute when a corner fell to Salisu, whose deflection looped into the net to make it 2-2. The result left Monaco with a bitter taste, given their dominance, particularly in the opening 45 minutes.

Attention now turns to their next crucial Champions League fixture, as Monaco host Galatasaray on Tuesday, December 9th, in what promises to be a decisive encounter for their European campaign.