Monaco United announced their arrival at Regional level in emphatic fashion on Sunday, thrashing AS Cannes 9-1 in their first-ever league match at this tier, backed by a dominant second-half display in front of their home crowd.
The occasion carried real weight for the club, coming off the back of a hugely successful 2025-2026 campaign that earned Monaco United promotion to Regional football. With clear objectives heading into the match, finding rhythm quickly, imposing their style of play, and winning their first home game at the new level, the club could hardly have delivered a stronger opening statement.
Head coach Marco Simone and assistant Alexandre Gallet trusted several summer signings with starting roles for the occasion, a decision that paid off immediately as the new arrivals slotted seamlessly into the squad’s established structure. Gallet said he wasn’t surprised to see the recruits integrate so smoothly, given how carefully they had been selected to strengthen the group, adding that full understanding between players would continue developing the more they trained and played together.
New signing Marie Achouri echoed that sentiment, describing a warm welcome from her new teammates and a clear collective ambition she said was evident from her very first training sessions. She noted that while on-pitch understanding would take time to fully develop, the team’s organisation was already clearly visible in Sunday’s result.
Cannes, a well-organised side capable of threatening on the counter-attack, made Monaco United work for their opening spell, with the hosts needing time to settle before finding their attacking rhythm. A shot off the post hinted at what was coming before Sarah Magnier broke the deadlock just before the half-hour mark. Monaco United grew increasingly dominant through the closing stages of the first half, building fluid attacking sequences that carried them into the break with a commanding 3-0 lead.
The second half turned into a rout. Monaco United continued to overwhelm their opponents technically and physically, stringing together chance after chance, and even conceding a well-taken Cannes goal did little to unsettle their control of the match. The goals continued to flow as the match wore on, rewarding what Gallet described as a summer preparation programme already showing clear results on the pitch.
That preparation looked notably different this year, according to Gallet, built around a significant aerobic training component completed individually and monitored remotely. The approach allowed the coaching staff to ease the squad’s workload during their return to training before gradually building it back up through August and September, a method Gallet said still left the squad ready for their opening fixture, even if not yet at full sharpness.
Reflecting on the result, Gallet praised the group’s discipline and cohesion since preseason began in early August, saying both the performance and result reflected the seriousness the squad had shown throughout their preparation.
Sunday also marked a historic first for the club’s youth setup, with Monaco United’s U18 side playing their first-ever official match, away to Mougins in the opening round of the Coupe de France. The young side delivered a strong collective performance to secure a 2-0 victory, advancing to the next round and marking a promising first chapter for a generation the club sees as central to its long-term future.
Between the senior side’s dominant win and the U18s’ successful cup debut, it proved a landmark weekend for Monaco United, with the club’s ambitions for the season ahead already taking shape.
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