NANTES, France — In an exhilarating matchup in Ligue 1 on Friday, Monaco managed to claw back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw against Nantes.
Nantes initially surged ahead, with Matthis Abline finding the net within the first 12 minutes, followed by Kelvin Amian scoring early in the second half.
However, Monaco sparked a comeback with Breel Embolo scoring in the 52nd minute and Mohammed Salisu equalizing just seven minutes later.
As the game progressed, Nantes captain Nicolas Pallois made a crucial defensive play, saving a certain goal off the line with only ten minutes remaining.
On the other side, Moses Simon’s powerful shot hit the crossbar just minutes before the final whistle, adding to the tension of the match.
“The loss of two points feels tough tonight,” admitted Nantes midfielder Jonathan Lepenant. “We were in control at 2-0 and we conceded two quick goals that could have been easily avoided.”
This result allowed Nantes to climb out of the relegation zone, landing them in 14th place in the 18-team league, where they are tied on points with both Angers and St-Etienne.
Meanwhile, Monaco sits in third place, just two points shy of Marseille and nine points behind the league leader, Paris Saint-Germain.
In another Ligue 1 fixture, Auxerre faced Lille in a lackluster match that ended in a 0-0 draw.
The game offered little excitement, with the standout moments revolving around Lille’s Hákon Haraldsson.
The Icelandic forward was awarded penalties on two separate occasions in the second half, although the contact appeared to be minimal on both counts.
The referee initially revoked the first penalty after reviewing it but upheld the second one. However, Jonathan David’s attempt from the spot was thwarted by Auxerre goalkeeper Theo De Percin.
Auxerre’s Paul Jolly received a red card for the foul that resulted in the second penalty.
Following the draw, Lille remains in fourth position in the standings, while Auxerre sits in ninth.