Not many would’ve expected Monaco to be unbeaten eight games into the season under Filipe Luis, but the side from the Principality arrived in Sofia as Ligue 1 table toppers, and their excellent start continued with a third-minute opener.
Paris Brunner reacted fastest in the box to fire home after Stanis Idumbo had his initial shot blocked, but the German U21 international smashed the rebound into the roof of the net for his seventh goal in eight appearances this campaign.
CSKA also came into the game unbeaten on the domestic front (W8, D3) but were second best for large parts of the first half, perhaps stunned after conceding early on.
Instead, the Monegasques doubled their lead minutes before half-time as Brunner turned provider after breaking through the CSKA defence, but his square ball was slotted into the bottom-right corner by Ansu Fati, further compounding a poor first-half showing from the hosts, who registered zero shots on target in the opening 45’.
The Bulgarian side had failed to score just twice in nine home games this season, but both occasions were on the continent in UEFA Europa League qualifiers, and it looked like it was going to be a third here as a lack of attacking threat allowed Monaco to resume total control in the second half.
With a relatively straightforward opening 15 minutes after the restart, Filipe Luis decided to rest key players ahead of the league game on the weekend as the Brazilian coach made a triple substitution.
Lukas Hradecky had very little to do up until the 76th minute when the home side halved the deficit against the run of play.
Joel Zwarts had been on the pitch for a little over two minutes when he popped up in the box to head home from a corner kick, setting up a grandstand finish.
However, a comeback never materialised as the Bulgarian side fell to a 22nd defeat in 29 European group stage/league phase matches (W3, D4), highlighting their struggles on the continent. While a fourth win in five games on the road extends Monaco’s excellent start to the campaign.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Paris Brunner (AS Monaco)
