AS Monaco seized the top position in Ligue 1 following a dominant 3-1 victory over fourth-placed Reims on Saturday. In an impressive display of skill and teamwork, Ismail Jakobs, Folarin Balogun, and Wissam Ben Yedder all found the back of the net to secure the three points for Monaco.
The breakthrough for Monaco arrived just before halftime when defender Ismail Jakobs netted his first Ligue 1 goal since his arrival from Cologne in 2021. The goal came from close range, demonstrating Jakobs’ prowess in front of the net.
Monaco’s lead doubled early in the second half, thanks to a clinical finish by striker Folarin Balogun from close quarters. The visitors continued to assert their dominance when Wissam Ben Yedder headed the ball into the net, extending Monaco’s lead to 3-0 just three minutes later.
Reims, though trailing by three goals, managed to pull one back from the penalty spot. Midfielder Teddy Teuma showcased his skill by delivering an unstoppable shot past Monaco’s goalkeeper Philipp Koehn after Monaco substitute Christian Matsima committed a foul on Marshall Munetsi.
The victory propelled Monaco to the summit of the Ligue 1 standings with 17 points from eight games, placing them one point ahead of second-placed Nice and three points clear of Brest, who have a game in hand.
Nice briefly claimed the top spot in the table with a 1-0 win over Metz, courtesy of midfielder Hicham Boudaoui’s precise finish in the 14th minute. The result maintained Nice’s unbeaten record in the league, with four wins and four draws.
Meanwhile, the league’s bottom-placed team, Olympique Lyonnais, will strive for their first league victory of the season when they host struggling Lorient on Sunday. Olympique de Marseille, also facing difficulties, will take on promoted Le Havre.
Elsewhere, third-placed Brest will encounter French Cup winners Toulouse, while reigning champions Paris St Germain are set to visit sixth-placed Stade Rennais in what promises to be an exciting clash in the upcoming fixtures.
