Pafos FC 2-2 Monaco: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Coral’s post-match review of Pafos FC 2-2 Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday, 26 November 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Monaco got off to a flying start in this Europa League clash, with T. Minamino slotting home the opener in the 5th minute after a neat assist from M. Akliouche. Pafos FC fought back admirably, equalising through David Luiz in the 18th minute, assisted by M. Orsic, to make it 1-1. But Monaco regained the lead before the half-hour mark when F. Balogun fired in their second in the 26th minute, putting the visitors ahead at the break.

The second half saw both sides pushing for more, with substitutions shaking things up – Pafos brought on B. Langa for D. Goldar at the interval, and later changes like Jaja replacing D. Quina in the 57th. Monaco made their own tweaks, including L. Michal for A. Golovin and M. Coulibaly for L. Camara in the 65th. It all came to a dramatic close as Pafos snatched a point with an own goal in the 88th minute, making it 2-2 and ensuring a share of the spoils in a hard-fought draw.

Possession was fairly even, with Pafos FC holding 48% and Monaco edging it at 52%, which reflected a balanced game where neither side dominated for long spells. Monaco showed more flair in attack with 65 successful dribbles compared to Pafos’ 47, helping them create those early chances, while Pafos made the most of their 5 corners against Monaco’s 3, contributing to the late pressure that forced the own goal. Cards were dished out too, with Pafos picking up 2 yellows and Monaco 3, adding to the tension without any reds to shift the momentum dramatically.

Substitutions played a role in keeping the energy up, as Pafos used 4 – like B. Langa coming on for D. Goldar at 46’, Jaja replacing D. Quina at 57’, M. Bassouamina for Anderson Silva at 69’, and L. Dimata for V. Dragomir at 79’ – while Monaco went with 5, including L. Michal for A. Golovin and M. Coulibaly for L. Camara both at 65’, T. Kehrer replacing Vanderson and A. Fati for T. Minamino at 76’, plus M. Biereth for F. Balogun at 89’. Each team recorded one assist, underlining the key passes that led to goals and with things so close, a share of the spoils felt like a fair result in the end.

The game burst into life early when Monaco’s T. Minamino scored in the 5th minute, giving the visitors a quick lead. Pafos responded well, with David Luiz netting their equaliser in the 18th, but Monaco pulled ahead again through F. Balogun’s strike in the 26th. Yellow cards added spice, like D. Goldar’s booking in first-half stoppage time for a foul, and later ones for J. Carcedo in the 55th and David Luiz in the 88th for Pafos, while Monaco saw L. Camara carded in the 21st, A. Golovin in the 28th, and M. Salisu in added time.

Substitutions influenced the flow, with Pafos making changes like B. Langa replacing D. Goldar at half-time to shore things up, and Monaco bringing on fresh legs such as L. Michal for A. Golovin in the 65th. The decisive moment came late when an own goal in the 88th levelled it for Pafos, turning what looked like a Monaco win into a draw and highlighting how fine margins decided the outcome.

Pafos FC lined up in a solid 4-2-3-1 formation, with David Luiz anchoring the defence and showing his threat going forward by grabbing a goal. The midfield partnership provided good balance, allowing attackers like M. Orsic to shine with his assist, while the setup helped them recover from an early deficit.

Monaco set out in a 4-2-3-1 shape, relying on the creativity of players like M. Akliouche to set up early goals, with T. Minamino and F. Balogun forming a dangerous attacking duo that netted both their strikes. The defensive partnerships held firm for most of the game, though the late own goal exposed a rare lapse.

In a match full of twists, David Luiz earns Man of the Match for Pafos FC with his crucial equaliser in the 18th minute and his overall presence, despite picking up a late yellow – his goal kept his side in the hunt and helped secure a valuable point against strong opposition.

Recent Champions League matches:

• Draw: 2-2 vs Monaco (H)
• Win: 1-0 vs Villarreal (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Kairat (A)
• Loss: 1-5 vs FC Bayern München (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Olympiacos F.C. (A)

Recent Champions League matches:

• Draw: 2-2 vs Pafos FC (A)
• Win: 1-0 vs Bodø / Glimt (A)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Tottenham Hotspur (H)
• Draw: 2-2 vs Manchester City (H)
• Loss: 1-4 vs Club Brugge (A)

Pafos FC can take heart from this resilient 2-2 draw against Monaco, showing they can mix it with the big boys in Europe – it’ll boost confidence as they head into their next fixture, a tough trip to Turin to face Juventus.

Monaco will be frustrated to let a lead slip with that 88th-minute own goal, but a point away from home isn’t the worst result – they’ll aim to sharpen up defensively in their upcoming match against Ligue 1 leaders PSG.

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