Balogun, who recently transferred from Arsenal, made his first start for Monaco but saw his initial penalty attempt thwarted by goalkeeper Marcin Bulka in the 12th minute. He was granted a second opportunity in the 56th minute but again faltered with a low penalty that Bulka successfully parried.
Folarin Balogun second missed penalty vs Nice pic.twitter.com/sVMZq5bEz3
— Every Frame (@EveryFrame3) September 22, 2023
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Monaco’s fate was sealed when Jeremie Boga seized an opening in added time, penetrating the opposition’s defense and elegantly slotting the ball into the far post, handing Monaco their first defeat of the season.
This match marked Balogun’s second appearance for Monaco since his arrival on August 31, where he had previously scored on his debut in a 2-2 draw against Lorient last weekend.
Monaco, formerly leading the league table, now possesses 11 points from their opening six games in Ligue 1 this season. After the match, Monaco manager Adi Hütter expressed his support for Balogun, emphasizing that setbacks are part of the game and that they are committed to helping the young striker bounce back.
Balogun, who initially represented England at the youth level and later switched to the U.S. through FIFA’s approval in May, has scored two goals in four appearances for the USMNT.
Nice’s thrilling victory on Friday temporarily catapults them into first place with 12 points from six rounds, a single point ahead of Monaco. The lead in Ligue 1 could shift again depending on the outcomes of upcoming matches involving Brest and Marseille this weekend.
