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

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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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.