Lyon 1-2 Monaco Player Ratings: Akliouche 8.5/10 Inspires Monaco Comeback Before Late Red Card Drama Overshadows Ligue 1 Win

Mohit Tomar

Modified - Mar 22, 2026, 04:49 PM

3 min

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Summary

Monaco claimed a fully deserved 2-1 Ligue 1 victory at the Groupama Stadium, overturning Sulc's first-half opener with Akliouche's precise equaliser and Balogun's composed penalty in a stunning ten-minute second-half burst.
The visitors were the more threatening side for much of the contest but were made to trail at the break, only to show the character and quality to flip the tie's momentum after the interval completely.
Akliouche was the undisputed star at 8.5/10, though the match ended in controversy as Tagliafico and Monaco coach Pocognoli were both shown straight red cards in the 90th minute, casting a shadow over what had been a captivating evening of Ligue 1 football.

Neither side deserved to be losing at the break, and deep down, both sets of players knew it. Monaco had threatened repeatedly in the opening 45 minutes, Akliouche forcing a save, Balogun's header denied, and Camara blocked at close range, yet it was Lyon who took the lead against the run of play as Sulc guided a composed finish into the top right corner in the 42nd minute. Tolisso then struck the post in added time to rub further salt into Monaco's wounds, and a flattering half-time scoreline sent the hosts in ahead despite the visitors having created every bit as much.

Adi Hütter's side came out for the second half with renewed purpose, and the game's decisive sequence unfolded in breathtaking fashion between the 62nd and 72nd minutes. Akliouche found the top right corner with a precise, driven finish after Teze's perfectly weighted through ball, and before Lyon could regroup, the Frenchman was cutting inside the box again, drawing a foul from Tolisso that handed Monaco a penalty. Balogun stepped up and sent Greif the wrong way, completing a 10-minute turnaround that Lyon had no answer to and giving Monaco three points their overall performance thoroughly merited. Here are Sportsdunia's Lyon vs Monaco player ratings.

Key Takeaways

Akliouche was everywhere, and his 8.5/10 rating was the least he deserved.
Monaco were the better side for large spells but were made to pay for their lapse of concentration.
Lyon's inability to build on their lead proved their undoing.