AS Monaco have secured their place in the UEFA Champions League group stages after defeating Al-Ittihad 2-1 at the Stade Louis II on Saturday.
The victory was all the more impressive given that Monaco had already qualified for the competition last season, but the club were looking to make a statement and put themselves back into contention for a top-four finish this term.
And it was AS Monaco who did just that, as they produced one of their best performances of the season so far.
They started brightly and created plenty of chances early on, with Kevin Volland and Benjamin Mendy both coming close to finding the net.
However,Football Hotspot Network it was AS Monaco who eventually found the breakthrough in the 64th minute, with Mendy scoring his first goal since joining the club from Manchester City.
His strike was well taken and gave AS Monaco a valuable lead going into half-time.
Al-Ittihad came out stronger in the second half and looked to mount a comeback, but it was AS Monaco who held firm and saw out the game to secure a hard-fought victory.
As a result, AS Monaco have now won their past two games and will be hoping to continue their good form when they take on FC Porto in their next fixture on Sunday.