Dembo Sylla makes decisive impact as Lorient end Monaco’s unbeaten run

FC Lorient secured a valuable 1-0 victory over AS Monaco on 18 October 2026, with Dembo Sylla playing a central role in the result. The Guinea international won the penalty that allowed Noah Cadiou to score the only goal and helped Lorient defeat a Monaco side that had been unbeaten in the league.

Sylla was deployed as a right wing-back and gave his manager an assured performance in the unfamiliar role. His pace, commitment and willingness to attack down the flank caused Monaco persistent problems throughout the match.

The decisive moment came in the 61st minute. After Lorient took a free-kick quickly, Sylla accelerated beyond the Monaco defence and carried the ball into the penalty area. Denis Zakaria fouled him, giving Lorient the opportunity to take the lead from the spot.

Cadiou converted the penalty to put the hosts ahead, and that proved to be enough to settle the contest.

Sylla a constant threat on the right

The 23-year-old completed the full 90 minutes and remained an outlet for Lorient on the right side. His repeated bursts forward kept the Monaco defence under pressure, while he also came close to adding a second goal late in the game.

In the 83rd minute, Sylla struck a powerful effort that beat the goalkeeper but hit the post.

His contribution was not limited to his attacking work. He completed 17 passes, made three clearances and won one tackle as Lorient maintained their advantage and secured the result.

The performance earned widespread praise in the press, with Sylla portrayed as a player capable of changing the course of a match. By winning the crucial penalty and repeatedly taking the initiative in attack, he underlined his growing importance to Lorient’s system.

The victory was a significant reward for Lorient, who brought Monaco’s unbeaten league start to an end. For Sylla, it was an opportunity to make a decisive contribution against one of the championship’s leading contenders.

Lorient’s next league fixture will be against Angers in the eighth round of the French championship. The published odds place Angers at 2.65 to win, with a draw priced at 3.20 and a Lorient victory at 2.45.