AS Monaco striker Folarin Balogun struck the decisive goal as the French club edged Bodo/Glimt 1-0 in their Champions League encounter on Tuesday night, a result that saw the hosts reduced to ten men late in the game.
The Norwegian side, Europa League semi-finalists last season, dominated possession early on but were undone in the 43rd minute when Balogun drifted behind the defence and rifled a powerful effort into the roof of the net from a narrow angle.
Bodo nearly equalised moments later as Kasper Hogh’s mis-hit effort clipped the post, with skipper Patrick Berg blazing the rebound over the bar.
Hogh continued to threaten after the restart but was denied by the Monaco goalkeeper and later fired narrowly wide before being substituted.
Under heavy rain, Bodo’s night deteriorated further when defender Jostein Gundersen received a straight red card in the 81st minute for a reckless stamp on substitute Mika Biereth’s ankle, leaving the forward in visible pain.
Monaco comfortably saw out the closing stages to claim all three points, climbing to 18th in the group standings on five points, while Bodo/Glimt remain winless with just two points from their opening fixtures.
