MONACO (Reuters) – Monaco forward Takumi Minamino netted a double as they overpowered visitors Red Star Belgrade 5-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday to advance to seven points from their first three matches of this season’s competition.
Breel Embolo, Wilfried Singo, with a stinging long range shot, and Maghnes Akliouche were the other scorers as the hosts enjoyed a deserved victory in a contest in which they missed several other good chances.
Red Star, who scored with a penalty from Cherif Ndiaye after the Senegal international had been brought down by Thilo Kehrer, frustrated their hosts for much of the first half but capitulated after the break and were fortunate to go home only conceding five goals.
Minamino sprung the offside trap to put Monaco ahead after 20 minutes but the lead lasted seven minutes before Ndiaye’s spotkick.
Embolo restored the hosts’ advantage in stoppage time at the end of the first half with his first goal of the season and Singo’s 35-yard thunderbolt nine minutes after the break stretched the lead.
Defensive slips allowed Embolo to set up Japan international Minamino for his second 20 minutes from time, with Akliouche rounding off the triumph with a shot that went in off the post in the final action of the game.
The Serbian champions, who host Barcelona in their next Champions League outing on Nov. 6, have lost all three of their league-stage matches this season.
Monaco’s next Champions League assignment is away at Bologna on Nov. 5.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)
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