Ghana Black Stars defender Mohammed Salisu endured a roller-coaster evening in AS Monaco’s UEFA Champions League clash against Cypriot side Pafos, experiencing both heartbreak and heroics in a dramatic 2-2 draw.
Monaco, dominating much of the play but conceding a dramatic late equalizer. Despite the frustration of dropping points, Ghanaian defender Mohammed Salisu emerged as the standout performer, earning the Man of the Match award from the UEFA Technical Observer Group for his commanding display at the back.
The match started brightly for Monaco when Japanese winger Takumi Minamino gave them an early lead in the 5th minute with a composed low finish from an assist by Eliesse Ben Seghir (or Maghnes Akliouche, according to some reports), capitalizing on a swift counter-attack.
Pafos responded in the 18th minute through a set-piece, as 38-year-old former Chelsea defender David Luiz rose highest to head in a corner from Ivan Sunjic. American striker Folarin Balogun restored Monaco’s advantage just eight minutes later, pouncing on a goalkeeper error by Pafos’ Neofytos Michail to slot home a powerful left-footed strike.
The game looked to be heading Monaco’s way until the 88th minute, when Pafos substitute Mons Bassouamina’s header struck the crossbar and deflected off Salisu into his own net, securing a deserved point for the hosts after relentless late pressure.
Monaco finished with 58% possession and created numerous chances, but Pafos’ resilience and set-piece threat kept them in the contest.
The 26-year-old Ghana international Mohammed Salisu played the full 90 minutes and was a defensive colossus alongside Jordan Teze. Despite the heartbreaking own goal, described more as an unfortunate deflection than a direct mistake, his overall contribution was exceptional.
UEFA’s Technical Observer Group praised him as solid defensively in one-on-one situations and adept at clearing crosses. He led the game with 12 clearances, won 9 of 12 aerial duels, completed 54 of 59 passes at 92% accuracy, and made several crucial interventions in transition.
After the match, Salisu called the result a big lesson in maintaining focus until the final whistle and stressed the need for a stronger mentality to close out games.
Ghanaian fans celebrated his resilience on social media, with many highlighting that even with the own goal he remained solid as ever. The award comes as a timely boost for Salisu amid recent injury concerns and transfer speculation linking him to Saudi clubs and Crystal Palace, reaffirming his status as a Premier League-proven centre-back now thriving in France under manager Sébastien Pocognoli.
For Monaco, the point keeps their knockout hopes alive, while for Salisu it signals full readiness for upcoming Ghana duty in AFCON qualifiers.