Montpellier shocks Monaco with a 2-1 victory in Ligue 1 clash
Monaco’s struggles continued on Friday, compounding concerns ahead of their upcoming Champions League clash, as they squandered an early lead to suffer a 2-1 defeat against Ligue 1’s bottom-placed team, Montpellier.
The match at Stade de la Mosson saw Jordanian forward Mousa Al-Tamari emerge as the hero for Montpellier, scoring twice in the second half to secure only their third win of the season. This victory offers a glimmer of hope for a team that seemed doomed to relegation prior to this fixture.
Monaco initially appeared in control, with captain Thilo Kehrer heading home from a corner just past the half-hour mark. However, the visitors’ poor form persisted, leaving manager Adi Hütter with mounting challenges as his side prepares to host Aston Villa in a crucial Champions League game on Tuesday.
The loss extends Monaco’s winless streak in Ligue 1 to four matches and jeopardizes their place in the league’s top three. Depending on the outcome of Lille’s clash with Nice later in the evening, Monaco could slide further down the standings.
Recent performances have been alarming for the principality club. They were knocked out of the French Cup by Reims on penalties earlier this week and have managed only two wins in their last 11 outings across all competitions. In the Champions League, Monaco sits 16th in the standings and has lost their last two games. A third consecutive defeat against Villa could severely jeopardize their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.
A Game of Two Halves
Monaco started brightly, creating early chances and deservedly taking the lead when Kehrer rose to head in a corner at the near post. However, the match took an unusual turn after a lengthy delay at the start of the second half. Montpellier fans disrupted play by blasting loud dance music from speakers positioned behind one of the goals, seemingly rattling the visitors.
The disruption appeared to galvanize Montpellier, and they capitalized on a defensive error to equalize in the 55th minute. Kassoum Ouattara’s misplaced back-pass was intercepted by Al-Tamari, who calmly rounded Monaco’s goalkeeper and netted his first goal of the season.
Montpellier completed the comeback eight minutes from time when Al-Tamari struck again. Set up by Arnaud Nordin, he fired a low shot past Radosław Majecki at the near post, securing a dramatic win for the hosts.
Al-Tamari nearly sealed a hat-trick in the dying moments, but Montpellier held firm to claim a vital three points. The win lifts them level on points with Le Havre at the foot of the table and within four points of safety, injecting new life into their battle for survival.
For Monaco, the defeat underscores their current slump, leaving them with significant questions to answer as they seek to turn their season around.