Dier Header Gives Monaco Opening Day Win at Le Havre

The visitors made the breakthrough in the 14th minute following a corner.

Flavio Nazinho delivered an inviting cross into the six-yard area, where Dier attacked the ball and powered a header beyond the Le Havre goalkeeper to put Monaco ahead.

Monaco continued threatening shortly afterwards, with Paris Brunner and Aleksandr Golovin both testing Lionel Mpasi as the visitors searched for a second goal.

Le Havre responded and believed they had found an equaliser in the 26th minute.

Amir Richardson put the ball into the net, but the goal was eventually overturned following a VAR review after the attacker was judged to have been offside.

That decision allowed Monaco to take their one-goal advantage into the interval.

Le Havre increased their attacking pressure after the restart and forced Monaco to spend longer periods defending around their own penalty area.

Richardson tested Lukas Hradecky with an effort from outside the box in the 59th minute, but the Monaco goalkeeper got down to make the save.

Monaco also continued looking for opportunities to extend their advantage.

Golovin forced Mpasi into another save from outside the penalty area in the 73rd minute as the visitors attempted to put the contest beyond their hosts.

Le Havre refused to surrender and continued pushing forward during the closing stages.

Enzo Koffi forced Hradecky into a save in the 84th minute after being supplied by Josh Maja, while the hosts continued winning corners and putting Monaco’s defence under pressure.

Despite that late push, Monaco protected their slender advantage.

Kaito Mizuta had one of Le Havre’s final opportunities in stoppage time but sent his effort from outside the area narrowly over the target. The final whistle confirmed Monaco’s 1-0 victory.

Dier’s early goal ultimately separated the teams, while Monaco’s defensive organisation and Hradecky’s saves ensured they left Normandy with a clean sheet and all three points.

For Le Havre, the disallowed Richardson goal represented the biggest frustration of an afternoon in which they created enough pressure to threaten an equaliser but could not find a legal way past Monaco.