Folarin Balogun made his first appearance of the season as AS Monaco secured a 2-1 victory over Lens on Friday, extending their undefeated streak and moving atop the Ligue 1 standings. The win solidifies Monaco’s strong start to the campaign, with the club now three points clear of closest competitors Lille and Rennes after five matches.

Monaco took the lead in the first half through Paris Brunner, a young German striker who netted his sixth goal in seven league outings this season. Lens, the runners-up from last season, responded with an equalizer just after the hour mark when Matthieu Udol scored with a header. The match marked Lens’s first game following the dismissal of coach Dino Toppmoeller after only six games. Yannick Cahuzac, a former Lens player and member of Toppmoeller’s staff, assumed the head coaching role for the match.

Despite the change in leadership, Lens was unable to avoid defeat. The match-deciding moment came in the 84th minute when Jonathan Gradit inadvertently headed the ball into his own net, handing Monaco the winning goal.

Balogun entered the match as a substitute in the 76th minute, making his first club appearance since competing in the recent World Cup. The 25-year-old forward, who represents the United States internationally, drew attention during the tournament with three goals but also became embroiled in controversy following a red card received in the round of 32 against Bosnia. The card initially would have sidelined him for the Round of 16 matchup against Belgium, but the suspension was lifted after intervention from U.S. President Donald Trump. Despite Balogun’s participation, the U.S. team was defeated 4-1 by Belgium.

Off the field, Balogun was on the verge of joining Everton in a £40 million transfer before opting to stay with Monaco in a last-minute reversal early in September.

The Ligue 1 weekend continues with Lille facing bottom-placed Nice, while champions Paris Saint-Germain take on their rivals Marseille in a highly anticipated encounter.