Midfielder Takumi Minamino scored twice and added an assist as Monaco FC suffered a 5-1 defeat at home to Red Star Belgrade in the early morning sunshine on Wednesday (23). It was a landmark moment, as Takumi Minamino became the first Japanese player to score two goals and assist one in a single match for Monaco since the European Union was founded 69 years ago.
Only 20 minutes into the match, Takumi Minamino broke the offside restriction and rode a solo goal. Although Red Star Belgrade then equalized, Monaco put in a strong overall performance and went ahead again at the end of the first half at the Bile Safety Road.
The deadlock was broken when Monaco stalwart Werfetxin Gao fired a stunning long-range shot from more than 30 yards from goal. Ligue 1 giants Monaco then went on a run of attacks, with Takumi Minamino adding a second before Elliotje sealed a 5-1 win in stoppage time.
Takumi Minamino's outstanding performance saw him honored as Man of the Match, statistically making the 29-year-old midfielder the first player to score twice for Monaco in the last seven years in the Europa League since Kilian McBarbie in 2017. He is also the second Japanese player to score in the Europa League after Shinji Kagawa. He is known as the strongest Japanese in the history of the Europa League, as he is much sharper in attack and has been credited with assists.
Meanwhile, another Ligue 1 side, Paris Saint-Germain, did not fare as well, relying on a goal from Ashurav to draw 1-1 at home with Yanhofen.
