Folarin Balogun’s first Champions League goal was enough to give Monaco their first win of the season against 10-man Bodo/Glimt.
Following good draws against Manchester City and Tottenham on matchdays two and three, the French team began confidently, dominating possession but unable to break through the stubborn home defense.
Takumi Minamino, a former Liverpool forward, had the best of the early chances, but his long-range effort was blocked on the edge of the box, and Mohammed Salisu’s last-ditch clearance denied Bodo skipper Patrick Berg’s goalbound drive.
With the teams set to head into the half tied, Balogun produced a rare moment of excellence to break the deadlock.
The US international made a forward sprint to grab Maghnes Akliouche’s through pass, then switched to his left foot and fired high inside the near post past keeper Nikita Haikin.
Bodo stepped up after the interval in an attempt to prolong their nine-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, but their efforts were futile.
Philipp Kohn saved Jens Petter Hauge’s curling free kick, while Kasper Høgh missed another excellent opportunity.
With time running down and things tense for the home team, replacement Jostein Gundersen was sent off.
Following an initial yellow card for a harsh sliding tackle from behind, a long video assistant referee (VAR) review resulted in the call being upgraded to a straight red.
It destroyed the home team’s chances of claiming anything from a hard-fought battle, and they are still winless after four games.
On Matchday five, Bodo/Glimt hosts Italian giants Juventus at Aspmyra on Tuesday, November 25 (20:00 GMT), while Monaco travels to Cyprus to face Pafos FC on Wednesday, November 26 (17:45 GMT).
