Monaco in danger of early exit as Leipzig clinch first win
Last year's Champions League semi-finalists Monaco slumped to a 2-1 home loss to Besiktas in a Champions League Group G match yesterday morning (Singapore time), leaving the French side bottom of their group and facing a battle to reach the knockout rounds.
Cenk Tosun scored twice for the Turkish visitors, netting either side of the interval, after Radamel Falcao had opened the scoring for the Ligue 1 champions.
The result put Turkish side Besiktas on a perfect nine points from three games and left Leonardo Jardim's side propping up the table with a solitary point.
Said Jardim: "It was quite an even match. The team's spirits were affected by the second goal, which seemed to be offside.
"It will be difficult to qualify now, but not impossible. In football, one must know how to get through such tough times.
"For now, we must focus on our next match against Caen on Saturday."
Monaco, who are trying to rebuild following the departures of stars Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy and Tiemoue Bakayoko, are second in Ligue 1, six points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
In the other Group G match, Germany's RB Leipzig went up to second spot after securing their first Champions League win in history by pipping Porto 3-2 at home.
Leipzig took just eight minutes to open accounts. Jose Sa - preferred in the Porto goal to Iker Casillas - fumbled Bruma's long-range effort and the ball fell to Willi Orban, who bundled it home from close range.
For all their flair in attack, defensive nerves soon cost Leipzig the equaliser. A long throw, twice knocked on in the penalty area, was turned in at the far post by Vincent Aboubakar on 18 minutes.
Emil Forsberg restored Leipzig's advantage in the 38th minute before Jean-Kevin Augustin made it 3-1 three minutes later.
Porto pulled one back through defender Ivan Marcano a minute before the break but Leipzig held on for a historic win. - WIRE SERVICES
OTHER RESULT:
- RB Leipzig 3 FC Porto 2
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