Substitute Desire Doue inspired PSG to a 3-2 comeback win at Monaco, swinging the Champions League playoff tie ahead of the Paris return leg.
Monaco stunned the champions PSG as they raced to a 2-0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes at Stade Louis II. Folarin Balogun rose unmarked to head home the opener from Aleksandr Golovin’s cross. The goal exposed early defensive hesitation from Paris Saint-Germain. Monaco pressed aggressively and fed off the early momentum.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 18th minute. Balogun sprinted clear after a precise through ball and finished calmly past the goalkeeper. The strike made him the first American to score twice in a Champions League knockout match. PSG suddenly faced a two-goal deficit away from home.
PSG were handed a route back into the contest midway through the half. Wout Faes brought down Khvicha Kvaratskhelia inside the area under pressure. Vitinha stepped up but saw his penalty saved low to the right. The miss threatened to derail the visitors’ recovery.
Moments later, PSG were forced into an early change. Ousmane Dembele departed after 27 minutes. Luis Enrique turned to Desire Doue from the bench. The substitution proved decisive and shifted the rhythm of the game.
Doue made an instant impact with his first meaningful involvement. The 20-year-old drilled a low finish off the post in the 29th minute. The goal reduced the deficit and injected belief into PSG’s play. Monaco’s defensive shape began to loosen.
PSG found the equaliser four minutes before the break. Doue struck from range and forced a parry from the goalkeeper. Achraf Hakimi reacted quickest to convert the rebound. The teams went in level at 2-2 after a breathless first half.
Monaco’s task became far harder seconds after the restart. Golovin was shown a red card following a VAR review for a dangerous challenge. The decision left the hosts with ten men for the entire second half. PSG responded by controlling possession and territory.
The visitors steadily increased pressure and limited Monaco to rare counters. Space opened between the lines as fatigue set in. PSG’s numerical advantage was reflected in their growing shot count. The breakthrough arrived just after the hour mark.
PSG claimed the lead in the 67th minute. Warren Zaire Emery threaded a composed pass into Doue’s path. The substitute finished confidently from the edge of the area. It was his second goal of the night and the match winner.
PSG finished with greater control and attacking volume. They recorded 23 shots compared to Monaco’s limited second half output. Doue became the first PSG substitute to score twice in a Champions League match since 2019. Hakimi also went close to extending the lead late on.
PSG take a one goal advantage into the return leg in Paris on Wednesday 25 February. Monaco face a difficult task after the dismissal and late collapse. The French champions now sit firmly in control of the playoff tie. A place in the round of 16 is within reach.
