Le Mans 1-1 Monaco Ligue 1 match, Digi Mart USA News (France): AS Monaco conceded a last-minute goal against Le Mans FC in a 1-1 draw, extending their winless run in Ligue 1 to five games. Les Sang et Or, meanwhile, registered only their second point since September 19.
Matthis Abline had the ball in the back of the net midway through the first half, finishing first-time into an empty net from a pass across goal from Aleksandr Golovin, who had been offside in the build-up. Dame Gueye also had the ball in the net thanks to a flicked header, though the offside call on this occasion was less clear but still existed.
It was a scare for Monaco, but without forcing the issue, they took the lead before the break. Harold Voyer’s ball back to Nicolas Kocik was strong, and it was not well controlled by the Le Mans goalkeeper, who moments earlier had gone down with a muscular injury.
Mamadou Coulibaly was the opportunist, making the tackle and tapping home.
Le Mans were the more enterprising side in the second half, despite an attacking triple change designed to add thrust to a side that lacked it. Gueye saw a strike blocked by Sadibou Sané.
Unable to shine on the ball, Monaco failed to create the chances needed to put the game away and were always at risk of letting the points slip.
Erwan Colas dealt the Principality club a lesson, benefiting from a goalmouth scramble and finding himself in the right place to blast into the roof of the net. Les Monégasques are now without a win in their last five games in Ligue 1.
The slide continues, even if results in the Conference League continue to flow.
Player ratings: Very quiet and unable to get into the game before his exit in the 54th minute, the lone striker cut an isolated figure, as Monaco have often played with two strikers this season. The service he did receive was not used to good effect.
A full-back who has spent his professional career so far in the lower divisions, he showed his ability to compete at this level. He was a livewire down the left, creating dangerous situations, breaking lines, and showing good decision-making in the final third.
