A resilient AS Monaco beat Lyon to close on the podium! | OneFootball

Dominant yet trailing at the half, the Rouge et Blanc showed character to completely turn the tide in their favor and secure a prestigious victory in the Matchday 27 clash against Olympique Lyonnais (1–2).

They are unstoppable! Superior in their play yet caught off guard in the opening stages, the AS Monaco players displayed immense determination to turn the tide and secure a hard-fought victory against Lyon at the Groupama Stadium (1–2). This marks their sixth consecutive league win and one secured in the marquee clash of Matchday 27 of Ligue 1 McDonald’. It’s also a result that also allows them to close the gap to within one point of today’s opponent. Recap  ✍️

The context 📅

With an unbeaten run which extended to eight games in the top flight thanks to their fifth consecutive victory against Brest last week-end (2-0), the Rouge et Blanc headed to the Rhône with confidence and ambition. For even though they had conceded while down to ten men… against OL in the reverse fixture, the Olympiens hadn’t won in five league matches and were coming off an elimination from the Europa League.

If we look at the table, our last encounter, and the fact that we are playing away, I think the advantage lies with Lyon. On the other hand, we are currently on a good run and have managed to close some of the gap. It is up to us to approach this clash with ambition and rise to the challenge.

The XI 👥

In an attempt to capitalize on their current momentum, coach Sébastien Pocognoli opted for stability in the starting lineup, fielding the same 3-4-2-1 formation used against Stade Brestois. Simon Adingra—recalled this week to the Ivorian national team for the March international break—thus started as the left-sided wing-back, while Jordan Teze played on the right flank and Aladji Bamba started in midfield.

The scenario 🎞

There was no sense of settling in between the two teams, who engaged in a fierce battle from the opening whistle, watched by 500 Monaco supporters in the away section. However, the first chance didn’t arrive until the 16th minute, with Maghnes Akliouche’s attempted lob being deflected by Greif. This was followed immediately by a header off target from Sulc and two long-range shots from Endrick (16′) and Mangala (20′) for Lyon, both saved by Lukáš Hradecký.

Akliouche is lively, but Lyon are clinical

The playmaker—a product of La Diagonale  and once again called up for Les Bleus—was the target of a powerful cross from Folarin Balogun shortly thereafter, which Moreira managed to deflect away at the very last moment (31′). The American striker subsequently won an aerial duel, but his header was denied by Greif (35′). It was a missed opportunity, as the Olympians capitalized moments later to open the scoring just before halftime through Sulc (42′, 1–0)—who had already bagged a brace in the reverse fixture.

Close to conceding a second

Corentin Tolisso even came close to doubling Lyon’s lead, but his curling shot strikes the left post of the Monaco goal (45’+2). Play resumed without Aladji Bamba—who picked up a knock late in the first half—but with Mamadou Coulibaly. AS Monaco took the initiative, but Lyon looked to counter-attack, and Endrick came within a whisker of doubling the lead with a cross-shot that Jordan Teze clears off the goal line (57′).

“Magic” Maghnes turns it around!

This would be the turning point of the match, since on Monaco’s first major chance of the second half… Maghnes Akliouche perfectly cut inside his opponent to catapult the ball under the bar (1-1, 62′)! It was a sixth top-flight goal of the season for the elusive French international, who then went on to win a clear penalty. It was Folarin Balogun …who stepped up to take it—and converted it to score his 9th goal in Ligue 1 (1-2, 72nd’)!

A sixth win in a row, with the podium in sight!

It was also Balo’s fifteenth goal in all competitions, and he almost found the net again after a deflection in the Lyon penalty area (80′). Then it was the turn of Ansu Fati …only to be denied by OL’s last line of defense (84′). The eight minutes of stoppage time—along with late attempts from Fati and Mawissa (98′)—would do nothing to alter the scoreline, as a resurgent AS Monaco emerged as solid 2–1 winners in Lyon, closing the gap to within a single point of OL. DAGHE MUNEGU !!! 🇲🇨

Key moments 🎥

16′: Akliouche attempts a lob, but it’s tipped away by Greif 16′: A long-range strike from Endrick is parried by Hradecký 17′: Sulc heads just wide of the goal 20′: A quick shot from Mangala from 25 meters out is blocked by Hradecký 31′: A powerful cross from Balogun is aimed towards Akliouche, but is intercepted by Moreira 35′: Balogun heads into the arms of Greif 42′: Endrick lays the ball back for Sulc, who fires into the top corner (1-0) 45+2′: Tolisso curls a shot that strikes the post 57′: Endrick fires a cross-shot, but it’s cleared off the line by a sliding tackle from Teze 62′: Akliouche executes a sharp turn followed by a shot straight into the top corner (1-1) 72′: Penalty won by Akliouche and converted by Balogun (1-2) 76′: Mawissa cuts the ball back for Fati, whose shot is saved by Greif 80′: A ricochet falls to Balogun, who shoots off target 82′: Fati is denied by Greif after a solo run 84′: Balogun fires a cross-shot wide of the goal 98′: Shots from Coulibaly and Mawissa are blocked by the defense

The stat 📊

AS Monaco is the team that has earned the most points in Ligue 1 McDonald’s since the start of the second half of the season (23 — 7 wins, 2 draws, 1 defeat). In the process, the Rouge et Blanc have recorded six consecutive victories in the top flight for the first time since March–May 2022 (9).

🗓️ Match details:

Sunday, March 22 2026 (15:00) – Groupama Stadium

Ligue 1 McDonald’s – Matchday 27: Olympique Lyonnais 1-2 AS Monaco

Halftime: 1-0

Goals: Sulc (42′) for Lyon; Akliouche (62′), Balogun (72′, pen) for AS Monaco

Bookings: Golovin (39′), Faes (53′), Diatta (86′) for AS Monaco

Dismissals: Tagliafico (89′)

Lyon: Greif – Hateboer (Kango, 85′), Mata, Niakhaté, Tagliafico – Tolisso ©, Mangala (Tessmann, 85′) – Sulc, Merah (Nartey, 68′), Moreira (Fofana, 85′) – Endrick

Substitutes: Descamps, Abner, Kango, De Carvalho, Nartey, Tessmann, Ghezzal, Fofana, Karabec