Monaco 1–0 Galatasaray: UCL Match Report & Highlights

On: December 10, 2025 8:40 AM

Monaco 1–0 Galatasaray UCL Match Report & Highlights

---Advertisement---

Monaco vs Galatasaray – Match Summary

AS Monaco secured a vital 1–0 victory over Galatasaray at the Stade Louis II, moving level on points with the Turkish champions in the league phase standings. In a match dominated by chances but lacking clinical finishing, Folarin Balogun proved to be the difference-maker, scoring the only goal minutes after Monaco captain Denis Zakaria had missed a penalty. The win snaps Monaco’s winless streak and reignites their push for the playoffs.

Monaco vs Galatasaray – Final Score

Monaco 1–0 Galatasaray

(HT: 0–0)

Goals:

68’ — Balogun (MON)

Monaco vs Galatasaray – Timeline & Events

50’ — 🟨 Penalty: Davinson Sanchez trips an opponent in the box. Penalty to Monaco.
51’ — ❌ Missed Penalty: Denis Zakaria steps up but fails to convert! The score remains 0–0.
63’ — 🔄 Sub: Yunus Akgun replaces Ilkay Gundogan for Galatasaray.
68’ — 🚑 Injury: Galatasaray goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir is forced off with an injury; Gunay Guvenc replaces him.
68’ — ⚽ GOAL! Just moments after the goalkeeper change, Folarin Balogun finds the net to break the deadlock. (1–0)
75’ — 🚑 Injury: Concern for Monaco as Takumi Minamino limps off injured.
88’ — 🟨 Card: Baris Alper Yilmaz booked for roughing.
90+6’ — 🟨 Card: Mika Biereth booked for a foul in the dying seconds.

First Half Analysis

The first 45 minutes were a tactical stalemate with high intensity but no goals. Monaco looked more dangerous in transition, using the pace of Vanderson and Akliouche, but Galatasaray’s defense, marshaled by Davinson Sanchez, held firm. Galatasaray controlled more of the ball (58% possession) but struggled to penetrate Monaco’s low block effectively.

Second Half Analysis

The game exploded into life after the break. Monaco wasted a golden chance to lead when Zakaria missed a penalty in the 51st minute. However, the hosts kept pressing, generating a massive 3.37 xG by full time. The breakthrough finally came from Balogun in the 68th minute, capitalizing on a chaotic moment where Galatasaray’s starting goalkeeper had to go off injured. Galatasaray pushed late, hitting the post once, but couldn’t find a way past Hradecky.

xG Reality Check: Monaco 3.37 | Galatasaray 1.34

Key Match Factors

Wasteful Finishing: Monaco created a staggering 9 Big Chances but only scored once. They should have won by a much larger margin.
Goalkeeper Drama: The injury to Galatasaray’s Ugurcan Cakir unsettled their defense at the worst possible moment, leading directly to the goal.
Defensive Resilience: Despite conceding possession, Monaco limited Galatasaray to just 2 shots on target and an xGOT of just 0.05.
Zakaria’s Redemption: The captain missed a penalty but his midfield dominance helped secure the win regardless.

Player of the Match

🏆 Folarin Balogun (Monaco)

Scored the decisive winner and was a constant threat in behind, finally breaking the resistance of the Turkish defense.

Monaco vs Galatasaray – Player Ratings

AS Monaco	Rating	Galatasaray	Rating
Hradecky	7.5	Cakir	6.5
Vanderson	7.0	Sallai	6.0
Kehrer	7.0	Sanchez	6.0
Salisu	7.0	Bardakci	6.5
Caio Henrique	7.5	Jakobs	6.0
Zakaria	6.0	Torreira	6.5
Camara	7.0	Sara	6.5
Akliouche	7.5	Sane	6.0
Minamino	6.5	Gundogan	6.5
Golovin	7.0	Yilmaz	5.5
Balogun (MOTM)	8.0	Osimhen	6.0

Monaco vs Galatasaray – Match Stats

Stat	Monaco	Galatasaray
Expected Goals (xG)	3.37	1.34
xG on Target (xGOT)	2.73	0.05
Possession	42%	58%
Total Shots	19	13
Shots on Target	5	2
Big Chances	9	2
Corners	7	3
Passes (Accuracy)	250 (77%)	393 (85%)
Fouls	12	15
Yellow Cards	1	2
Goalkeeper Saves	2	4

Top 5 Performers

Folarin Balogun (MON): The match-winner; persistent and clinical when it mattered.
Lukas Hradecky (MON): Kept a clean sheet and organized the defense well.
Maghnes Akliouche (MON): Creative spark in midfield, driving Monaco’s high xG.
Caio Henrique (MON): Excellent delivery from the left flank.
Lucas Torreira (GAL): Battled hard in midfield despite being outnumbered on counters.

Underperformers / Weak Links

Galatasaray Attack: Despite having Osimhen and Icardi (sub), they generated only 0.05 xGOT—completely harmless finishing.
Davinson Sanchez (GAL): Conceded a penalty (though it was missed) and looked shaky against Balogun’s pace.

Substitutions Impact

Gunay Guvenc (GAL): Replaced the injured goalkeeper (68′) but couldn’t stop the goal immediately after coming on. (Rating: 6.2)
Mika Biereth (MON): Came on late for Balogun (86′) and picked up a yellow card.
Yunus Akgun (GAL): Replaced Gundogan (63′) but failed to spark a comeback. (Rating: 6.0)

Tactical Breakdown

AS Monaco:

Counter-Attacking: Happy to concede possession (42%) and hit rapidly on the break, resulting in 9 big chances.
Direct Play: Bypassed midfield often to exploit the space behind Galatasaray’s high line.

Galatasaray:

Sterile Possession: Controlled the ball (58%) but mostly in non-threatening areas.
Vulnerable in Transition: Their backline struggled to cope with Monaco’s speed once the ball was lost.

What This Result Means

AS Monaco: Climb to 18th place (9 pts), level on points with Galatasaray but behind on goal difference (-1).
Galatasaray: Drop to 17th place (9 pts), missing a chance to secure qualification early.