AS Monaco produced a stirring performance at the Stade Louis-II on the evening of Tuesday, October 1, holding European giants Manchester City to a 2-2 draw on Matchday 2 of the Champions League. Eric Dier’s ice-cold penalty in the 89th minute secured a valuable point and ensured the Red and Whites opened their account in this year’s competition.
The match, played before a vibrant Monaco crowd with President Dmitry Rybolovlev in attendance, saw Adi Hütter’s men stand toe-to-toe with the 2022 Champions League winners. Despite being pegged back twice by Erling Haaland, Monaco’s resilience shone through in what was a dramatic European night.
City made the brighter start, dominating possession, and Haaland wasted no time in announcing himself. The Norwegian striker broke the deadlock after 15 minutes with a clever lob over Philipp Köhn. But Monaco responded swiftly through Jordan Teze, who rifled a stunning strike into the top corner just three minutes later to level the score.
The defending champions ramped up the pressure as Phil Foden rattled the bar before Haaland restored City’s advantage with a diving header on the stroke of half-time. Monaco, however, refused to fold. After the break, they created chances through Folarin Balogun, Maghnes Akliouche and Mamadou Coulibaly, but Donnarumma and wayward finishing kept City ahead.
The tension spiked in the closing stages. With Monaco pushing, Hütter reshuffled into a bold 4-4-2, introducing Pape Cabral, Mika Biereth and George Ilenikhena. The gamble paid off: Eric Dier was awarded a penalty after VAR intervention and the veteran defender buried it with composure, celebrating his first Champions League goal on his 420th career appearance.
Seven minutes of added time tested Monaco’s nerve, but the Red and Whites stood firm, denying City the win and securing a result that felt like a victory for the hosts.
Monaco now turn their attention back to domestic action, where they face the Côte d’Azur derby on the evening of Sunday, October 5.
