The AS Monaco FC vs Man City timeline unfolded into one of the more frustrating evenings of Manchester City’s Champions League campaign, as a 2-2 draw at the Stade Louis II on October 1, 2025 denied Pep Guardiola’s side a deserved victory.
Kicking off at 3:00 PM local time in Monaco, France, before an attendance of just 11,275, the match had the makings of a routine City win — but a controversial 90th-minute penalty from former Tottenham defender Eric Dier rewrote the story entirely.
First Half: Haaland Strikes Twice, Monaco Hit Back
City’s number nine did not touch the ball until the 15th minute, but when he did, he scored.
Josko Gvardiol spotted Haaland’s run across the Monaco backline and lifted a pass through for the Norwegian, who flicked the ball over goalkeeper Philipp Köhn with an outstretched boot.
Monaco responded swiftly and with genuine quality.
Just three minutes later, in the 18th minute, Jordan Teze collected the ball on the edge of the area, took one touch, and powered an unstoppable curling effort into the top-left corner of the net to level matters.
City’s vulnerability on the counter did little to slow their creative output, with Tijjani Reijnders narrowly missing and Phil Foden cracking a powerful effort off the underside of the crossbar.
A minute before the interval, Haaland headed his second of the night — taking the Norwegian to 52 Champions League goals in 50 appearances — from Nico O’Reilly’s high cross, despite there being no pace on the ball.
First Half Timeline
| Minute | Event | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15′ | Goal | Erling Haaland | Manchester City |
| 18′ | Goal | Jordan Teze | AS Monaco |
| 22′ | Shot wide | Tijjani Reijnders | Manchester City |
| 39′ | Crossbar | Phil Foden | Manchester City |
| 44′ | Goal | Erling Haaland | Manchester City |
| HT | Half-time | 1-2 |
- Haaland opened the scoring with a composed flick on 15 minutes
- Monaco struck back almost immediately through Teze’s stunning curler
- Foden hit the crossbar as City sought a second before the break
- Haaland headed home a second just before half-time to restore the lead
Second Half: City Squander Chances, Monaco Earn VAR Lifeline
Monaco threatened early in the second half, most clearly when Gianluigi Donnarumma had to react sharply to keep out Maghnes Akliouche’s effort.
Rodri, making a return to the City XI after missing Saturday’s 5-1 win over Burnley with a knee issue, departed early after going down in a collision, replaced by Nico González.
City struck the crossbar for a second time in the 72nd minute through Reijnders, capping a smart counter-attack, before Haaland had a go from the edge of the box that was touched wide.
With five minutes remaining, the game took a contentious turn.
Teze sent in a free kick from the left, González stretched out a boot in front of Dier and made contact with the ball — but also caught the former England defender in the face.
Spanish VAR official Cesar Soto Grado instructed referee Jesús Gil Manzano to consult the monitor.
After a lengthy delay, during which a Monaco coaching staff member was sent off following a touchline altercation, Manzano pointed to the spot.
Dier stepped up in the 90th minute and sent Donnarumma the wrong way to earn Monaco a share of the points.
Second Half & Full Timeline
| Minute | Event | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 57′ | Shot saved | Maghnes Akliouche | AS Monaco |
| 61′ | Substitution (off: Rodri) | Nico González | Manchester City |
| 63′ | Chance | Folarin Balogun | AS Monaco |
| 64′ | Substitution | Various | AS Monaco |
| 73′ | Crossbar | Tijjani Reijnders | Manchester City |
| 82′ | Shot wide | Erling Haaland | Manchester City |
| 88′ | Free kick incident | Dier/González | — |
| 90′ | Penalty goal | Eric Dier | AS Monaco |
| 90+4′ | Shot blocked | Josko Gvardiol | Manchester City |
| FT | Full-time | Monaco 2-2 Man City |
Match Stats Summary
| Stat | AS Monaco | Manchester City |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 28.7% | 71.3% |
| Shots on Goal | 3 | 6 |
| Shot Attempts | 8 | 18 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 5 |
| Corner Kicks | 7 | 3 |
| Saves | 5 | 1 |
AS Monaco FC vs Man City Timeline: Verdict
The AS Monaco FC vs Man City timeline ultimately serves as a cautionary tale about failing to kill off a game despite overwhelming dominance.
City held 71.3% of possession and registered 18 shot attempts to Monaco’s eight.
Their failure to find a decisive third goal proved fatal as a disputed VAR intervention handed the hosts a point they may not have fully deserved on the balance of play.
- City dominated possession and shot count but were wasteful in front of goal
- Haaland reached 52 Champions League goals in just 50 appearances with his brace
- The VAR penalty decision sparked considerable post-match debate
- Rodri’s early exit in the second half was a concern for Guardiola going forward
- The result left City on four points from their opening two Champions League matches