Andoni Iraola’s first taste of management from the Anfield dugout ended in disappointment. Liverpool led AS Monaco by two goals inside half an hour on Sunday, only to watch that advantage slip away in a wild 3-2 defeat that spoiled the new head coach’s home debut.
Liverpool Roar Out of the Blocks
For a while, this looked like the perfect Anfield welcome for Iraola. Alexander Isak broke the deadlock in the 16th minute, latching onto a slick one-two between Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch before rifling a finish into the bottom corner. It was already Isak’s third goal at Anfield since his big-money move from Newcastle, and the Swedish striker looked sharp from the opening whistle.
Thirteen minutes later, summer signing Florian Wirtz doubled the lead, scrapping home from close range after a scramble on the goal line involving Isak. At 2-0 up and dominating possession, Liverpool were cruising, with 18-year-old debutant Ifeanyi Ndukwe impressing alongside Virgil van Dijk at the back.
Monaco Turn the Tide
The mood shifted just before halftime. Van Dijk brought down Aleksandr Golovin in the box, and the Monaco midfielder made no mistake from the penalty spot to halve the deficit going into the break. Whatever momentum Liverpool had built evaporated after the restart.
Mika Biereth leveled things up in the 56th minute, pouncing on a rebound after his first effort was saved, exploiting more hesitancy in a Liverpool defense that had been reshuffled at halftime. With the game wide open and both sides making wholesale substitutions, it turned into an end-to-end pre-season thriller.
Monaco’s youngsters kept pushing, with Mamadou Coulibaly and Oumar Konate both forcing good chances in the closing stages. Their persistence paid off in the 88th minute, when Anis Soubeir swung in a pinpoint corner and Paris Brunner rose to head home the winner, his fifth goal of the pre-season, sealing a memorable smash-and-grab win on Merseyside.
Iraola’s Verdict
Speaking after the match, Iraola was candid about the collapse, admitting his side simply could not sustain the level they showed in the opening half hour. He pointed to a similar pattern in Liverpool’s earlier friendly against Leeds, where a strong start also faded as the game wore on. It is a theme he will be keen to correct before competitive football arrives.
There were still positives to take. Alisson Becker, Cody Gakpo, and van Dijk all made their first appearances of the pre-season, summer arrival Victor Munoz got his first minutes off the bench, and Wataru Endo returned from injury. Florian Wirtz, in particular, caught the eye and was named man of the match by several outlets covering the game.
What’s Next for Liverpool
This was Liverpool’s first season opener build-up without Mohamed Salah, whose departure closes a legendary chapter at the club, and Iraola is clearly still searching for the right balance across a squad in transition. The result itself means little in the pre-season table, but the pattern of fading fitness levels in the second half is something Iraola will want to iron out quickly.
Liverpool wrap up their pre-season slate at home to Como on Sunday, August 16, giving Iraola one final chance to fine-tune his side before the Premier League campaign gets underway.
For Monaco, it was a statement win to kick off their own training camp, with several fringe players stepping up in front of a famous Anfield crowd
