Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Matchday 1, 22/08/2026

With four days to go before their Conference League play-off second leg against Polish side Górnik Zabrze, AS Monaco got off to a solid start to their Ligue 1 campaign, securing a 0-1 away win at the Stade CMA-CGM Oceane.

The Match 

Having started the match better than their opponents, Felipe Luis’s players quickly opened the scoring through Eric Dier, who headed home a corner from Flavio Nazinho. Although he could do nothing to prevent the opening goal, Lionel Mpasi then made several crucial saves to keep HAC in the game. And it was just as well, as his team went on to put in a much-improved performance. So much so that Amir Richardson, who returned to the club this summer, even thought he had equalised just before the half-hour mark, only to be flagged offside by the referee.

Returning from the changing rooms with the same intentions, Le Havre continued to wear down their opponents, putting up far stiffer resistance than the opening minutes of the match had suggested. Forced to defend in their own half, Monaco nevertheless managed to repel the numerous waves of attacks from Normandy, relying in particular on a solid Lukáš Hradecký in goal. A performance that will certainly not satisfy Luis, but which at the very least allows ASM to secure victory… at the expense of an encouraging Le Havre side.

AS Monaco player ratings

Lukáš Hrádecky, 6

A fine performance from the veteran Finnish goalkeeper. Often well-positioned to thwart Le Havre’s attempts, Hrádecky particularly stood out with two impressive saves, one of which proved crucial for ASM.

Vanderson, 5

Sadibou Sané, 5

Eric Dier, 5

Flavio Nazinho, 6

Lamine Camara, 7

Although he was relatively quiet at the start of the match, the Senegalese midfielder stepped up a gear to dominate the midfield. Having won the most duels against Le Havre (12 out of 17), Camara won back numerous balls and proved invaluable with his passing.

Denis Zakaria, 5

Mamadou Coulibaly, 6

A constant threat down the right flank, Coulibaly cut a fine figure on the pitch at the Stade Océane. Called upon frequently, he displayed a strong understanding with Vanderson, linking up with the Brazilian on several occasions in an attempt to unsettle Le Havre’s defence.

Aleksandr Golovin, 4

Stanis Idumbo, 6

Paris Brunner, 5

Selected Le Havre player ratings 

Lionel Mpasi, 7

Selected in the starting line-up at the expense of Mory Diaw, the Congolese player put in a particularly impressive performance in the first half, preventing Monaco from extending their lead after Dier’s goal. With six saves to his name, he was undoubtedly the man of the match for the Hacmen.

Ayumu Seko, 6

The Japanese defender proved to be particularly solid. Impressive in the air and in his reading of the game, he effectively thwarted Monaco’s attacks, showing no hesitation in clearing the ball when necessary.

Simon Ebonog, 6