Noah Cadiou held his nerve as Lorient brought a fierce autumn evening at the Stade du Moustoir to life, converting a 61st-minute penalty to earn a 1-0 Ligue 1 victory over Monaco.
Monaco had carried much of the attacking threat and threw on further firepower after falling behind, but Lorient protected their lead and survived a demanding closing spell. The result came in the seventh round of the French season, played on Sunday, 18 October.
Quick facts
- Result: Lorient 1-0 Monaco
- Venue: Stade du Moustoir – Yves Allainmat
- Decisive moment: Noah Cadiou scored from the penalty spot in the 61st minute.
- Penalty incident: Denis Zakaria fouled Lorient’s Dembo Sylla in the Monaco area.
- Monaco used all five substitutes, including Folarin Balogun, Mika Biereth and Edan Diop.
Monaco began with intent but could not turn their early pressure into a breakthrough. Ansu Fati headed Vanderson’s delivery wide in the ninth minute, while Matthis Abline later fired over from distance and sent a header narrowly past the right post from Takumi Minamino’s cross.
Lorient gradually found avenues of their own. Gabin Bernardeau had efforts blocked around two first-half corners, and Ibrahima Baldé also saw a shot stopped after Bernardeau created the opening.
Aleksandr Golovin sent an effort over for Monaco, while Lamine Camara had a long-range attempt blocked. Just before the interval, Flávio Nazinho drove a free-kick from beyond 30 metres narrowly over the bar.
The visitors resumed on the front foot. Camara’s header was blocked, Abline’s header was saved and Fati had another shot repelled after Golovin supplied him from the left.
But the match turned on the hour. Sylla went down under Zakaria’s challenge inside the Monaco box, with the midfielder booked for the foul. Nazinho was also shown a yellow card in the aftermath, before Cadiou drove the penalty into the right side of the goal.
Monaco responded with a triple substitution six minutes later, introducing Christian Mawissa, Mathys Detourbet and Balogun for Mohammed Salisu, Zakaria and Fati. Edan Diop had already replaced Minamino shortly after half-time.
Balogun was quickly involved, seeing a central effort blocked after Vanderson’s cross, before Monaco won successive corners. A header from the United States forward was then saved following a Diop delivery, while Detourbet tested Lorient with a low shot from outside the area.
Lorient did not simply retreat. Mamadou Koné replaced Baldé in the 71st minute and soon had two opportunities, first heading Arthur Avom’s free-kick over and then lifting a left-footed effort high after Jean-Victor Makengo found him. Souleymane Faye later came on for Bernardeau.
The home side created a flurry of openings in the 83rd minute. Dembo Sylla had a low attempt saved, Arsène Kouassi was denied from close range and Koné sent another effort over. Kouassi had been booked earlier for a foul on Vanderson, whose injury briefly stopped play.
Monaco’s final changes saw Mika Biereth replace Abline, but their chase lacked a finishing touch. Balogun’s 91st-minute shot from inside the area flew high and wide after Nazinho’s assist, following another saved Detourbet effort.
The closing minutes brought more strain, including yellow cards for Salisu, Zakaria, Nazinho and Mawissa for Monaco, and for Cadiou and Kouassi for Lorient. Camara was also penalised for a handball in added time as Lorient saw out the four extra minutes and sealed the clean sheet.
