Aleksandr Golovin was among the scorers as AS Monaco cruised to a 3-0 win over RC Lens on Saturday to go clear at the top of the Ligue 1 Uber Eats table.
AS Monaco 3-0 RC Lens
THE MATCH
Monaco were aiming to continue their fine start to the season under new coach Adi Hütter as they took on a Lens side who were still looking for their first win of this campaign. Folarin Balogun, the principality club’s new big-money buy from Arsenal, started on the bench for the hosts but Elye Wahi led the Lens attack at the Stade Louis II.
It was a trying night for last season’s Ligue 1 runners-up as they fell behind just past the midway point in the first half and never looked like getting back into the game. Monaco won a corner when Takumi Minamino’s shot was tipped over by Brice Samba in the Lens goal, and the resulting delivery by Caio Henrique was headed in by Wilfried Singo (24’). It was the Ivorian defender’s first goal since joining Monaco from Torino.
The home side doubled their lead before the interval as Golovin galloped unhindered into space on the right side of the box to latch onto a Minamino pass. The Russian then fired a first-time shot past Samba into the net and Monaco were cruising (36’).
The third goal arrived just before the hour mark as Guillermo Maripán was left unmarked to head in another Caio Henrique corner. Hütter was then able to withdraw Wissam Ben Yedder to give a debut to Balogun, and Wesley Saïd was denied a consolation goal for Lens when his shot was cleared off the line by Singo.
Monaco have won three and drawn one of their opening four games this season, scoring 13 goals in the process, and sit two points clear of Olympique de Marseille at the top of the table. Lens, in contrast, are in the drop zone without a win and with 10 goals conceded.
THE PLAYER: Caio Henrique
The Brazilian’s dead-ball deliveries have regularly been a precious source of goals for Monaco in the past and two of his corners turned into assists for Singo and Maripán. The left-back has been called up to the Brazil squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia and Peru.
THE STAT: 13
The number of goals Monaco have scored this season in just four outings, an average of 3.25 per game.
