Balogun brace in vain as Monaco player ratings laid bare after PSG fightback | OneFootball

Balogun hit a quickfire brace to give Monaco a 2-0 lead, but PSG won 3-2 in the Champions League play-off first leg. The American now has 10 goals in all competitions, the best season of his career, surpassing his 8 in 2023-24. His first arrived after 55 seconds, the fastest European goal in Monaco’s history.

Balogun’s double arrived inside 18 minutes. At 22 minutes Köhn saved Vitinha’s penalty after Faes fouled Kvaratskhelia. Paris reduced the arrears through Doué after Barcola escaped Teze, then levelled and later found the winner. Köhn kept Monaco alive with late stops from Barcola, Ramos and Lee. According to Nice-Matin, the display earned starkly different ratings.

Balogun was rated 7 and Köhn 6, while Henrique and Golovin received 3. Faes, Teze, Vanderson, Camara, Akliouche and Adingra got 4, Zakaria 5. The report felt Monaco should have had a 70th-minute penalty when Camara’s corner struck Marquinhos’s hand.

Golovin’s second red in two games, for a stamp on Vitinha’s shin, left Monaco with 10. Zakaria later dropped into defence as Monaco switched to a back five. Safonov denied Zakaria on 67.

Faes’ early error led to the penalty and Henrique struggled against Hakimi. Vanderson and Teze were undone by Barcola, while Camara failed to control midfield and was high for PSG’s third. Coach Sébastien Pocognoli scored 4, his changes and delay in going to five at the back questioned.

Source: Nice-Matin