Monaco sweeps aside Saint Priest with five-goal friendly display

AS Monaco dominated proceedings from the outset in what proved to be a lively pre-season encounter at their home ground. The friendly atmosphere provided a good test for both sides as they continue their preparation for the campaign ahead. Monaco's attacking intent was clear from the opening exchanges, and they made their superiority count with a series of well-taken goals.

Eric Dier broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute, giving Monaco an early foothold in the contest. The hosts doubled their advantage just three minutes later when Aleksandr Golovin added a second to put clear daylight between the teams. Saint Priest mounted a brief response when they pulled one back in the 58th minute through an unnamed scorer, but Monaco had already seized control of the encounter. Any hopes of a comeback were swiftly extinguished when Paolo Brunner struck twice in quick succession, notching goals in the 48th and 49th minutes to extend Monaco's lead.

The second half proved far more comfortable for the hosts as they managed the game with relative ease. Saint Priest lacked the quality to trouble Monaco's defence consistently, and the visiting side's inability to build momentum proved costly. An unknown Monaco goalscorer added the fifth in the 61st minute to put the result beyond any doubt. The display showcased Monaco's attacking depth and their ability to convert chances when they arrive.

The 5-2 scoreline represented a straightforward afternoon for Monaco, who will take considerable satisfaction from their attacking performance ahead of their competitive fixtures. Saint Priest can draw some consolation from their two goals, though the gulf in quality between the sides was apparent throughout. This was exactly the sort of confidence-boosting victory Monaco would have been targeting at this stage of their preparations.