Monaco stay top after Gradit own goal settles 2-1 win over Lens

Monaco edge Lens 2-1 at Stade Louis II

Monaco beat Lens 2-1 in Ligue 1 on Friday, September 18, securing victory after leading 1-0 at half-time. Paris Brunner opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, Matthieu Udol equalised for Lens shortly after the interval, and Jonathan Gradit’s 84th-minute own goal restored Monaco’s advantage.

Brunner strikes before Lens respond

Monaco controlled the scoreboard first when Brunner converted a normal goal from Matthis Abline’s assist. The hosts carried their narrow lead into the break, with Lens making a defensive change at half-time as Jean-Clair Todibo was replaced by Gradit.

Lens levelled in the 57th minute. Udol finished from Florian Thauvin’s assist to make it 1-1, just four minutes after Thauvin had been booked. Monaco then introduced Mathys Detourbet for Edan Diop in the 62nd minute, while Lens made further changes involving Thorgan Hazard, Odsonne Édouard, Michał Skóraś and Andrija Bulatović.

Late own goal decides an open contest

The decisive moment came in the 84th minute, when Gradit put the ball into his own net to give Monaco a 2-1 lead. Lens had created the greater volume of shooting opportunities, recording 12 attempts to Monaco’s nine and 10 shots from inside the box compared with six. The visitors also won eight corners, against Monaco’s two.

Those figures did not produce a second Lens goal. Monaco had 52% possession and registered six shots on target, two more than Lens, while Lens goalkeeper saves numbered five compared with three for Monaco. The passing numbers were close, with Monaco completing 464 accurate passes and Lens 455.

Monaco stay top of Ligue 1

The result leaves Monaco first in the Ligue 1 table with 13 points from five matches, a record of four wins, one draw and no defeats, and a goal difference of five. Lens remain 10th with four points from five games after one win, one draw and three losses, with a goal difference of zero.

Brunner was the standout performer according to the match ratings. He received a 7.9 rating, scored once, recorded three shots on target and completed two key passes in 89 minutes. Lamine Camara was Monaco’s other booked player, receiving a yellow card in the 71st minute; neither team saw a red card.
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