Monaco's poor start to the season continued as they fell 2-0 at home to Lens, for whom Igantius Ganago and Simon Banza scored the goals.
THE MATCH
After draws in their two opening matches, Lens scored their first victory of the season, while Monaco are stuck on a single point after three games - already eight points back from Paris Saint-Germain - and Niko Kovac's side face a crucial second leg of the UEFA Champions League play-offs at Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek, trailing 1-0 after the first leg.
Monaco secured third place in last season's table with a 0-0 draw at Lens on the final day but came unstuck here against the northern club in the Principality. The first half was short on goalmouth incident, with Ganago dragging a shot across the face of goal (18').
Lens went ahead early in the second half (51') when Ganago - formerly of Monaco's local rivals Nice - easily shrugged off Strahinja Pavlovic and squeezed the ball past the home side's German goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, who didn't cover himself in glory.
Lens were reduced to ten men (60') when Cheick Doucouré was sent off for a foul on Krépin Diatta. Monaco threw on Gelson Martins and Kevin Volland as they chased the game but were also to finish the game a player light as Alexandr Golovin was sent off for a challenge on Banza.
The Lens substitute made the points safe for Franck Haise's team (90+4') after Przemyslaw Frankowski won the ball off Caio Henrique before supplying the ball that Banza finished off left foot.
THE PLAYER: Ignatius Ganago
Already a scorer against Saint-Etienne in the 2-2 draw in Round 2, Ganago backed it up with another strike against Monaco. The Cameroonian international's match finished earlier than expected in the wake of Doucouré's dismissal with Haise throwing on the experienced Yannick Cahuzac as he tried to lock the game up.
THE STAT: 4
Monaco have gone winless in their last four games in the top division, a first under Niko Kovac.
