Lorient 1-0 Monaco: a single penalty ends the visitors' unbeaten start

Monaco arrived at the Stade du Moustoir unbeaten in six Ligue 1 matches, four wins and two draws. They left with their first defeat of the season, beaten 1-0 by a Lorient side that needed only one clear chance to make it count.

One penalty, one goal

Noah Cadiou stepped up in the 61st minute and scored from the spot — the only goal of a match that otherwise produced little in the way of clear openings. Monaco had the better of possession, 58% to 42%, but managed only four shots on target to Lorient's three, a sign of a side that controlled territory without ever really troubling Yvon Mvogo's goal.

A cluster of cards for the visitors

Monaco's afternoon turned niggly either side of Lorient's goal. Mohammed Salisu was booked in the 57th minute, then Denis Zakaria and Názinho were shown yellow cards inside the same minute, the 60th, as Monaco pushed to respond. Cadiou himself picked up a caution in the 66th, and Christian Mawissa added a fourth Monaco yellow late on — four bookings in all for the visitors to Lorient's two.

Line-ups

Lorient climb into the top half

It is a notable pattern for Lorient: all three of their league wins this season have now finished 1-0, following earlier victories over Lens and Paris FC by the same scoreline. The win moves them up to 7th on 11 points, within touching distance of the Conference League play-off spot.

First setback of the season for Monaco

Monaco had won four of their first six league games without losing, a run that included victories over PSG and Lens. The defeat drops them to 5th on 14 points — still inside the European places, but with four other clubs level with them on points after this round and a goal difference now the thinnest of that group.