AS Monaco produced a remarkable comeback to beat Liverpool 3-2 at Anfield in a pre-season friendly, with Senegal internationals Lamine Camara and Sadibou Sané both playing important roles for the French side.
Liverpool appeared to be in control after taking a two-goal lead in the first half, but Monaco responded with three unanswered goals to secure an impressive victory on Sunday.
Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz put Liverpool 2-0 ahead inside the opening 30 minutes, giving the home side a commanding advantage in front of their supporters.
Monaco, however, refused to allow the deficit to derail their afternoon.
Aleksandr Golovin reduced the arrears from the penalty spot shortly before half-time before Mika Biereth equalised early in the second half.
Paris Brunner then completed the turnaround with a late header in the 88th minute, giving Monaco a memorable victory at one of European football’s most famous stadiums.
For Monaco, the result provides a significant confidence boost ahead of their upcoming UEFA Conference League play-off, which is scheduled to take place in about 10 days.
Senegal midfielder Lamine Camara was again involved in a winning Monaco side after helping the club beat Getafe 1-0 three days earlier.
Camara started against Liverpool but was withdrawn after an hour as Monaco manager Filipe Luís managed his squad during their pre-season preparations.
The match was only Camara’s second appearance for Monaco since returning from the World Cup, but the Senegal international has already played a role in successive victories.
His presence also adds to the growing influence of African players within Monaco’s squad, with fellow Senegal international Sadibou Sané starting alongside Éric Dier in central defence.
Sané completed the entire match and later partnered Thilo Kehrer as Monaco made changes towards the end of the game.
The former Metz defender was one of four summer signings handed starts by Luís at Anfield, alongside Flávio Nazinho, Mathys Detourbet and Matthis Abline.
Luís opted to retain the same starting XI that had begun Monaco’s previous friendly against Getafe, but his side faced a much tougher challenge against Liverpool.
Liverpool took advantage early on, with Isak and Wirtz finding the net to give the Reds a comfortable lead.
The hosts’ advantage could have been expected to lead to another routine pre-season victory, but Monaco gradually changed the momentum of the contest.
Golovin’s penalty just before the interval gave the visitors hope, and Biereth’s equaliser 11 minutes after the restart brought Monaco level.
The French side then continued to push and were rewarded two minutes from the end when Brunner headed home the winning goal.
The result also extends a difficult pre-season period for Liverpool, who surrendered another two-goal advantage after suffering a similar collapse against Leeds United in Chicago.
Liverpool had led Leeds by two goals in that match before eventually losing 4-2.
The defeat against Monaco was also Andoni Iraola’s first game in the Anfield dugout, adding further significance to the result as Liverpool continue their preparations for the new campaign.
