Ligue 1: Monaco 2-2 Auxerre - Balogun Penalty Completes Comeback but UCL Hopes Dented

Monaco rally from two down to draw Auxerre 

Auxerre led 2-0 through Danois and Sinayoko but were pegged back by Fati and Balogun as Monaco salvaged a 2-2 draw in Ligue 1.

Goals from Ansu Fati and Folarin Balogun saw Monaco rescue a 2-2 draw vs Auxerre after trailing 2-0 at Stade Louis II...

 

AS Monaco recovered from two goals down to draw 2-2 with AJ Auxerre in Ligue 1 at Stade Louis II, but the result still damages their push for UEFA Champions League qualification.

Monaco looked shaken from last week’s 4-1 loss at Paris FC and fell behind when Auxerre scored with their first attempt of the match.

A cleared corner fell to Kevin Danois on the edge of the box, and he struck a superb volley into the bottom corner.

Maghnes Akliouche tried to hit back for Monaco, but his tame effort rolled straight into Donovan Leon’s arms.

Auxerre kept pushing, though, and Lukas Hradecky had to tip Fredrik Oppegard’s shot wide.

 

The visitors doubled their lead just after the half-hour mark. Hradecky was at fault this time, letting Lassine Sinayoko’s shot slip under his body.

It nearly got worse for Monaco before halftime, but Sy Diomande’s header from a corner dropped onto the roof of the net.

  

To their credit, Monaco responded after the break and forced Leon into early action, the keeper palming Jordan Teze’s curling effort over the bar.

Leon couldn’t stop Ansu Fati from distance, though. The forward cut the deficit in half with a low strike into the bottom corner after Akliouche’s pass.

Monaco’s luck turned before the hour mark when they won a penalty after Leon brought down Folarin Balogun.

The USA international converted the penalty to make history, becoming just the fifth player this century to score in eight straight Ligue 1 matches.

🏁 Full time.

After being 0-2 in the first half, Monaco managed to tie the game in the second period with Fati and Balogun as scorers.

90+6' | 2⃣-2⃣ #ASMAJA pic.twitter.com/yAps18E3gq

— AS Monaco EN 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco_EN) April 19, 2026

Six of his last eight goals have now come in the second half. He nearly had a seventh when he smashed home from a tight angle, but the finish was ruled out for offside.

Auxerre took another hit late on when goalkeeper Leon was forced off injured, but they dug in to secure a point. It could be a crucial result in their survival battle, leaving them six points above Nantes in the automatic relegation zone.

Monaco are still outside the European places, but they’ll be satisfied with the fighting spirit they showed to rescue a draw.