PSG's Comeback from 0-2 to 3-2 Victory Against AS Monaco! A Strong Signal for Champions League Round of 16 Qualification

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AS Monaco vs PSG: Shocking Early Domination Against Monaco

Just 56 seconds into the match, Monaco struck the opening goal without giving anyone a moment to breathe. It was such a lightning-fast sequence that you’d wonder, “Is this really possible right after kickoff?” The opportunity arose from Nuno Mendes’ misplaced pass, and Valoigen’s header off Golovin’s cross rattled the net, instantly electrifying the Stade Louis II atmosphere.

In the early stages of this first leg between AS Monaco and PSG, Monaco completely took control. PSG’s forward passes were repeatedly cut off, and their defense was thrown into turmoil—just the opening Monaco needed. But the shock wasn’t over. In the 18th minute, Valoigen fired a second goal with a right-footed shot, boosting the score to 2-0. For PSG, this was a nightmare scenario—a complete collapse of their game plan unfolding rapidly.

Yet, PSG didn’t crumble entirely. Even trailing 2-0, they refused to drop their lines drastically, choosing instead to regain rhythm through possession and pressing. Despite the mood nearly sinking further after Vitinha’s missed penalty at the 22nd minute, PSG maintained their attacking tempo, and by the end of the first half, they began to find clues for a comeback. This critical choice to turn the early shock not into a “panic” but an “opportunity to chase” became the catalyst for how the rest of the game unfolded.

First-Half Crisis and the Dramatic Equalizer: AS Monaco vs. PSG

Trailing 2-0 and even missing a penalty kick, how did PSG manage to score an equalizer right before halftime? The battle between AS Monaco and PSG was already a full-fledged drama within the first 45 minutes.

Monaco pressed PSG relentlessly from the very start. Just 56 seconds into the match, Valogun capitalized on Nuno Mendes’s misplaced pass with a header for the opening goal. Then, in the 18th minute, Valogun doubled the lead with a powerful right-footed shot, making it 2-0. For PSG, lapses in defensive concentration led to consecutive goals, shaking their entire game plan.

Adding to the psychological blow, Vitinha missed a penalty kick in the 22nd minute. Losing that chance to kickstart a comeback could have shattered the entire match for PSG—but instead, they shifted their approach. Rather than recklessly trying to recover all at once, PSG increased their attacking tempo and began creating second-chance opportunities around the box.

The turnaround came in the dying moments of the first half. At 41 minutes, after Dawa’s shot was blocked, Hakimi followed up with a rebound to put PSG on the board. Building on this momentum, just moments later, Hakimi again found the net from another opportunity set up by Dawa’s shot, leveling the score at 2-2. The key was not relying on a single, decisive shot, but creating a pattern of “if it’s blocked, shoot again.” While Monaco’s defense reacted to the initial shot, PSG exploited the second action, breaking through and completely reversing the energy of the half.

AS Monaco vs PSG: Red Card in Second Half Sparks Dramatic Turnaround

Aleksandr Golovin’s red card completely changed the course of the match—just as many predicted. With the score locked at 2-2 by halftime, only three minutes into the second half, Golovin’s reckless tackle on Vitinha’s shin earned him a straight red, instantly reducing Monaco to ten men.

This sending off meant far more than just being a man down. Monaco’s pressing intensity and transition speed noticeably plummeted, and with less coverage in midfield, PSG gained more possession and controlled the tempo with newfound ease. Meanwhile, Monaco was forced to drop their defensive line, simplifying their attack into long balls that lacked potency.

As a result, PSG maintained relentless pressure and capitalized with a decisive blow. In the 67th minute, Desire Doué received a pass from Warren Zaire-Emery and confidently finished with his left foot from the center of the penalty area, scoring the go-ahead goal (3-2). This moment perfectly illustrated how the extra space and numerical advantage created after the red card translated into a game-winning strike. Ultimately, the clash between AS Monaco and PSG was definitively decided by their ability to manage the game after the red card.

AS Monaco vs PSG: Due’s Comeback Goal and PSG’s Unstoppable Counterattack

In the 22nd minute of the second half, Due’s comeback goal! Could this momentum secure a spot in the round of 16? To conclude, that very strike was the decisive blow that ‘sealed the victory’ in the first leg between AS Monaco and PSG.

PSG had been trailing 0-2, but they caught their breath by equalizing at the end of the first half, and early in the second half, Monaco’s red card gave PSG a numerical advantage. However, a numerical advantage is just an ‘opportunity’—what was needed was a moment to turn that into ‘points.’ The player who fulfilled that role was none other than Desire Due. His left-footed finish, from a pass received right in front of the penalty box, was not just a simple comeback goal, but a powerful message that PSG could now take control of the game.

More importantly, the significance of this goal goes beyond the scoreboard. Winning 3-2 away means PSG can advance to the round of 16 with just a draw in the second leg. In other words, Due’s goal connected “We can win” to “We can advance.” If PSG manages to avoid conceding early goals and maintains a steady tempo in the second leg, this wave of counterattack is very likely to translate into a reality of progressing to the round of 16.

AS Monaco vs PSG: Upcoming Schedule with Lee Kang-in and Prospects for Advancing to the Round of 16

Lee Kang-in’s role as a substitute was far more than just a “time-wasting card.” In the first leg of AS Monaco vs PSG, after PSG gained a numerical advantage early in the second half due to a sending off, the key was how to securely manage the game. Lee Kang-in’s presence was crucial as a link that stabilized ball possession and controlled the tempo during this phase. Especially when the opponent drops back with 10 men and looks for a counterattack, minimizing risk through short passes, quick transitions, and recycling possession is far more effective than forced forward passes. The decision to bring on Lee Kang-in as a substitute was exactly aimed at making this “game management” smoother.

So, why does PSG only need a draw in the second leg to guarantee a spot in the Round of 16? Simply put, it’s because PSG won 3-2 away in the first leg. In the Champions League knockout rounds (home & away), the winner is decided by the aggregate score over two matches, and PSG is already ahead by +1 on aggregate.

• If the second leg ends in a draw: PSG advances with the aggregate score intact
• If PSG loses by 1 goal (e.g., 0-1): the aggregate is tied (3-3), leading to potential extra time
• If PSG loses by 2 or more goals (e.g., 0-2): PSG is eliminated after overturning the aggregate score

Therefore, the key focus for the second leg is not a big win but rather how PSG protects its lead (+1 on aggregate) while minimizing unnecessary goals conceded. In this scenario, a player like Lee Kang-in can play a pivotal role in midfield by taking conservative passing options and breaking the opponent’s rhythm through possession control, which would greatly help PSG steer the game toward the desired outcome of a draw or minimal concession.