PLAYER RATINGS | Monaco 2-1 Lens: Filipe Luís side go top, Yannick Cahuzac era starts with defeat | OneFootball

Monaco maintained their unbeaten start and returned to the top of Ligue 1 with a 2-1 win over Lens, as Yannick Cahuzac’s tenure began in defeat.

The hosts twice had the ball in the net before the opener, Matthis Abline and then Edan Diop finishing from offside situations. Abline then beat West Ham United loanee Jean-Clair Todibo down the right and squared for Paris Brunner to steer in his sixth of the season past Robin Risser. According to Get French Football News, Brunner and Abline later received sevens in the player ratings.

Aleksandr Golovin released Brunner for another chance, Risser saved, and an unmarked Abline scuffed the rebound wide. Denis Zakaria drew a further stop before Abline again strayed offside prior to beating Risser.

Todibo was withdrawn at half-time and Lens shifted to a back four, which brought an immediate lift. Matthieu Udol escaped his marker to head in at the near post from a Florian Thauvin corner, then Junior Kadile beat Vanderson and crossed for Franjo Ivanovic, the Benfica loanee nodding off target. Thorgan Hazard curled towards the near post, Lukas Hradecky turning it behind.

Monaco introduced the returning Folarin Balogun and Mathys Detourbet but the openings dried up. The winner came via Jonathan Gradit, on at the break, who diverted into his own net under pressure from Brunner, restoring the lead.

In the ratings: Hradecky six, Zakaria four, Diop six. For Lens: Risser five, Udol six, Todibo three, Gradit four, Thauvin six.

Source: Get French Football News

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