The heavy rain that soaked the pitch during the warm-up had abated in time for kick-off, and the Red & Whites came racing out of the blocks, with Mendy swinging in a couple of crosses within the opening five minutes. Ndy Assembe intercepted the Monegasque left-back’s first attempt, while Germain was narrowly beaten to the second. At the other end, Nancy were going for it and piling on the pressure, earning three corners inside the first quarter-hour. The home defence was alert, though, and Leonardo Jardim’s men controlled the early stages of the game without posing any real problems for Ndy Assembe in the Nancy goal.

Another brace for El Tigre!

In the 17th minute, it took a fine intervention fropm Lenglet to prevent Germain from converting another cross by Mendy. And after Mandanne sent an effort wide (21 mins), AS Monaco broke the deadlock with 24 minutes gone. Ndy Assembe punched a lovely shot from Bakayoko behind, and from the resulting corner Falcao headed in after the ball had come back off the bar. One-nil quickly became two-nil as El Tigre pounced to net his second, converting a penalty won by Fabinho on the half-hour mark! And it was almost three-nil in the 37th minute, when a lightning counter-attack ended with Germain just failing to finish after a superb build-up from the Red & Whites. No matter, it was mission accomplished at the break, with the Monegasques sitting on a well-deserved lead.

Mbappé the supersub

The second half started at a rather more sedate pace, with Nancy looking for a way back into the game and Monaco patiently waiting for spaces to open up. In the 56th minute, Ndy Assemble beat Falcao to a free-kick by Lemar. The, just after the hour mark, Germain was unable to reach Silva’s inviting cross. He was replaced by Mbappé moments later, and the youngster wasted no time making an impression. Within seconds of coming on, he showed a poacher’s instinct to score the Monegasques’ third after Falcao’s initial effort was saved by Ndy Assembe (66 mins)! Falcao, who had been involved in all three goals, was withdrawn in the 71st minute to an ovation from the Louis-II, with Carrillo coming on in his place.

AS Monaco run riot!

The home side continued to press forward, and Mbappé linked up well with Sidibé down the right wing but missed his volley in the Nancy box (76 mins). Jean, who had come on for Silva ten minutes from time, was then sent into space behind the defence by Fabinho in the 82nd minute, but the substitute’s shot was off target. Ndy Assembe’s relief was short-lived, as he was beaten for a fourth time when Carrillo thumped home a wonderful cross by Mendy in the 87th minute, and then a fifth after Jean won a penalty which was slotted home by Fabinho (90 mins). Carrillo rounded off the scoring with a gem of a strike after being set up by Mbappé in added time. The final score was 6-0 to AS Monaco, and the Red & White goal rush continues. With 36 scored in the first 12 matches of this Ligue 1 campaign, the Monegasques currently boast the most prolific attack in Europe!