Ligue 1: For the second time this season, AS Monaco defeats PSG
© AS Monaco
For the 100th confrontation between the two teams, the Red and Whites put in a major collective performance in the capital to reign supreme.
AS Monaco have taken six points against Paris Saint-Germain in the league this season. A performance that only Nancy, Rennes and Monaco itself in 2020-2021 have achieved in the QSI era. Under the eyes of president Dmitry Rybolovlev, Sébastien Pocognoli’s men delivered a performance full of intensity, with fierce pressing and constant aggression.
ASM opened the scoring through Maghnes Akliouche before doubling the lead thanks to Aleksandr Golovin, a few seconds after coming on as a substitute. Bradley Barcola reduced the deficit, but Monaco reacted two minutes later, as Folarin Balogun restored his team’s two-goal lead to seal a second successive away win (1-3).
Akliouche opens the scoring
From the start, Monaco laid the foundations of their game plan: high pressing, compact defending and quick transitions. Pocognoli also chose the same starting XI as nine days earlier for the trip to the Parc des Princes in the Champions League.
The Monegasques quickly had their first chance. Denis Zakaria saw his header go just over after a beautiful cross from Caio Henrique (5′). Paris responded immediately, and Philipp Köhn intervened from close range on Achraf Hakimi (6′).
ASM continued to press and pushed the Parisians to make mistakes. Warren Zaïre-Emery took too many risks on his restart, and Mamadou Coulibaly recovered. The midfielder pinpointed Balogun, who cleverly let go for Akliouche, back following two games of absence, and he did not hesitate to send the ball to the near post for his fifth goal of the campaign (0-1, 27′).
🥶 Une erreur qui coûte cher !
— L1+ (@ligue1plus) March 6, 2026
Akliouche punit le @psg_inside pour sa 100ème en @ligue1 ! pic.twitter.com/GTAUbfXso9
PSG dominated territorially but struggled to be really dangerous, as ASM returned to the locker room with the advantage.
Golovin scores on his first touch
The second stanza began with a contrasting scenario for ASM. Caio Henrique, injured, made way for Golovin. The Russian found the net with his first touch. 25 seconds after coming on, the playmaker took a touch with his left from a ball deflected by Vitinha to beat Matvey Safonov (0-2, 54′). It was the astest goal for a substitute in the European top five leagues this season. He came close to a double following a nice curling shot, but Safonov made a perfect save (57′).
🔴 "Bravo, bravo"
— L1+ (@ligue1plus) March 6, 2026
De l'inside sur Ligue1+, un collectif soudé, et @AS_Monaco qui fait plier le @psg_inside 2-0 !#PSGASM pic.twitter.com/Z5fqiHberW
The clash then roared to life. Paris made a triple change, as Ousmane Dembélé, Lee Kang-in and Senny Mayulu came on to bring a new dynamic. Barcola pulled one back after a blocked shot from Jordan Teze (1-2, 71′), and the Parisian pressure intensified. But ASM had no doubts.
Balogun seals a deserved victory
The Monegasque reaction was not long in coming. Two minutes after the Parisian goal, Akliouche recovered another high ball and fed Balogun. The American striker quickly turned and tried his luck at the edge of the area. His shot was blocked by Willian Pacho and ended up in the back of the net (1-3, 73′) for Balogun’s third straight goal in the league on the evening of his 100th appearance in Ligue 1.
PSG attempted to come back once again but came up against an imperious Köhn. The Swiss goalkeeper made a decisive double save in front of Dembélé and Gonçalo Ramos (79′), then against Nuno Mendes (84′). Simon Adingra, who came on during the game, even came close to a fourth goal by hitting the crossbar (88′).
Pocognoli: “The players played like a family”
Speaking to the broadcaster, captain Zakaria did not hide his satisfaction: “We knew we were capable of doing it. We narrowly missed out in the Champions League, it was a bit of revenge for us today, and we’re happy to take the three points.”
Repositioned in central defence, the Swiss international fully assumes this new role, not without humour, stating: “I’m getting older, we’re adapting. I know that I can help the team in that position. I’m doing the job for now.”
The coach paid tribute to the mentality of his group, thinking back to the Champions League. “It leaves even more regrets compared to the Champions League match. You never know. The players played a good game, they played like a family,” he reflected.
The Monegasque manager also highlighted the contribution of the youngsters from the academy, while stressing the importance of the senior players in the squad. “It allowed us to save time with a lot of players. Leaders have had to take even more responsibility. I’m thinking in particular of Thilo, Lamine, Balogun and even Golovin. These are players who are moving up a level in the club at the moment,” Pocognoli explained.
Seventh match without defeat
At the final whistle, ASM are provisionally three points behind fourth place. The Red and Whites have gone seven games without defeat in Ligue 1 and claimed a fourth consecutive win in the league. A positive dynamic that the Monegasques will try to continue next week at the Stade Louis-II when they welcome Brest.