AS Monaco began their season with a professional away win, overcoming a difficult pitch and a physically sharper opponent to beat Górnik Zabrze 2-3 in the first leg of their Conference League play-off, played at the Arena Zabrze on Thursday, August 20, kicking off at 8pm.
After a month and a half of pre-season preparation, Monaco’s players kicked off their campaign proper away in Poland, determined to build an advantage before the return leg the following week. The Rouge et Blanc could also call on a favourable record against Polish opposition, having never lost to a club from the country.
Head coach Filipe Luís named his first competitive line-up in a 4-4-2 formation, largely mirroring the shape used throughout pre-season, with Mika Biereth and Paris Brunner paired up front. Stanis Idumbo and Mathys Detourbet took the wide positions, while Sadibou Sané made his own Monaco debut in central defence alongside Eric Dier.
Monaco settled quickly into a lively atmosphere inside a packed stadium, breaking the deadlock through a swift counter-attack: Detourbet found Biereth with a precise pass, and the striker finished first-time to open the scoring and his goal account for the club in the ninth minute, also registering his first assist for the club in the process.
With the pitch proving difficult for both sides to build any rhythm or execute technical play, chances were harder to come by for the remainder of the half. Brunner saw an effort fly over after the ball bounced awkwardly in the 30th minute, while Górnik’s Josema and Maksym Khlan both tested goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký from distance, saved in the 34th and 40th minutes respectively. Peter Federico curled an effort narrowly over just before the break, and Monaco came close themselves from a corner, only for Dier’s header to be cleared off the line in first-half stoppage time. Monaco went into the interval leading 0-1.
The second half exploded into life within seven frantic minutes. Monaco began the half in control of possession, and after a lengthy spell of build-up play, Lamine Camara unleashed a long-range strike into the net to double the lead in the 51st minute, his sixth goal for the club across all competitions, three of which have now come from outside the penalty area. Górnik responded almost immediately, with Erik Prekop pulling one back from the penalty spot in the 53rd minute, making it 1-2. Monaco restored their two-goal cushion soon after, as Brunner headed home a well-placed cross from Idumbo in the 58th minute, taking his own pre-season and season tally to five goals, and making it 1-3.
Górnik continued to push and got another goal back through a slightly deflected effort from Sondre Liseth in the 74th minute, making it 2-3. Monaco introduced new signing Flávio Nazinho for his official debut in the 81st minute, while fellow substitute Anis Soubeir came close to restoring the two-goal margin with a superb free-kick that was tipped behind by goalkeeper Schulze in the 86th minute, before Dier headed the resulting corner against the post moments later. Brunner also went close in stoppage time, his effort drifting just wide in the 92nd minute.
Despite the missed chances to extend the lead further, Monaco held on to secure a professional away win in difficult circumstances at half-time 0-1, taking a strong option into the second leg. Górnik’s Dietz and Janza were both booked during the match, in the 70th and 94th minutes respectively, alongside Monaco’s Detourbet and Soubeir, booked in the 38th and 61st minutes. The tie will be settled at Stade Louis-II next Thursday, kicking off at 18:45, though attention first turns to the opening weekend of the Ligue 1 season, with Monaco travelling to Le Havre on Sunday at 17:15.
The individual standout was Lamine Camara, who also led all players on the pitch for touches, with 81, and ball recoveries, with 8, on the night.