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Ligue 1
Oct 20, 2013 at 1pm UK
 
Monaco

2-2

Bakambu (57'), Lopy (69')
FT(HT: 0-2)

Live Commentary: Sochaux 2-2 Monaco - as it happened

Relive our live coverage of Herve Renard's first match in charge of Sochaux against unbeaten Monaco.
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Sochaux came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw with AS Monaco in Ligue 1 this afternoon.

A brace from Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco inside the opening 10 minutes looked to set the visitors up for a comfortable afternoon.

However, second-half efforts from Joseph Lopy and Cedric Bakambu helped the home side move off the bottom of the table.

Read how all the action unfolded below:


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Good afternoon! It's around half an hour until kickoff at Stade Auguste Bonal, where Sochaux will be looking to end AS Monaco's unbeaten start to the Ligue 1 season. Let's take a look at the starting lineups...

SOCHAUX STARTING XI: Pouplin, Faussurier, Carlao, Peybernes, Boumal, Lopy, Nogueira, Dias, Roudet, Mayuka, Bakambu

MONACO STARTING XI: Subasic, Abidal, Carvalho, Raggi, Tisserand, Toulalan, Obbadi, Moutinho, James, Ferreira-Carrasco, Falcao

As ever, it's an impressive lineup for Monaco, with Radamel Falcao and Joao Moutinho, who was in fine form for Portugal during the week, among the threats for the visitors.

The home side are without top scorer Roy Contout and Cedric Bakambu, who has netted twice this season, starts up front as the team look for just their second victory this season.

SOCHAUX SUBSTITUTES: Cros, Zouma, Guerbert, Camara, Poujol, Prcic

MONACO SUBSTITUTES: Romero, Fabinho, Isimat-Mirin, Martial, Kondogbia, Ocampos, Germain

Ahead of this afternoon's match, Monaco boss Claudio Ranieri told reporters: "We will play against a team that changed coaches and will be very motivated. We need to be very focused to the maximum to avoid getting caught. I wish the best to the new Sochaux coach Herve Renard, but only after Sunday's game."

Upon taking up his new post, Renard said: "I was not forced to come. I could have carried on in Africa, I had a lot of offers. It is a personal challenge. I like the values of the club and they look like mine. There is a soul and I like that. It is an amazing challenge and I like challenges. My objective is to improve, even in Europe, and one day go much higher."

PREDICTION! With kickoff just around the corner, it's time for a prediction. While Monaco's team may be a little fatigued from the recent internationals, they've got enough talent on the bench that they should be able to see this through. I think the visitors should scrape a 2-1 win this afternoon.

The result of this match could have a big effect at both ends of the table. Paris Saint-German currently top the table, but a win by three clear goals or more will move Monaco ahead this afternoon. Meanwhile, yesterday's results have left Sochaux bottom, but three points today would move them out of the relegation zone.

The players are heading out of the tunnel ready for this afternoon's tie, kickoff should be just a couple of minutes away now.

Monaco get the game underway.

Monaco look to get off to a quick start, as James Rodriguez shoots through the legs of Peybernes in search of an early lead, but his effort goes well high. It looks the visitors are going all out to score early on though, with some strong attacking in the opening couple of minutes.

CHANCE! Sochaux manage to get the ball and play it in to Mayuka, who has space in the box, but his shot is just tipped wide for a corner. Dias curls it back into the box, but in the end it's an easy clearance for Raggi.

GOAL! Sochaux 0-1 Monaco (Ferreira-Carrasco)

Straight from the clearance at the other end, James Rodriguez makes a superb run down the left hand side before crossing in to Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco, who volleys it in to put the visitors ahead. It's crushing for the home side, who were so close to scoring at the other end just moments earlier.

Sochaux have had a good spell of possession in midfield since the opening goal, but are having little impact as they try to play their way into the Monaco box. The visitors manage to win the ball back though, and Sochaux immediately look stretched at the back.

GOAL! Sochaux 0-2 Monaco (Ferreira-Carrasco)

It's a gift of a goal for Ferreira-Carrasco. Brazilian defender Carlao tries to clear for the home side, but he scuffs the ball straight to the feet of the Belgian, who has an easy finish for his second of the game.

Sochaux look so out of their depth at the moment it's unreal! Monaco are comfortably able to hold the ball in midfield, before a quick change of pace form Falcao sees the Colombian break to the edge of the Sochaux box, before Carlao manages to somewhat make amends for his earlier mistake to win the ball back.

Dias manages to play the home side out from the back before crossing to Mayega, who in turn finds Lopy, as the hosts try to find their way into Monaco's final third. It's a solid build up, but they lose out on the edge of the box, allowing Falcao to tear down the other end.

Ferreira-Carrasco looks to complete his hat-trick, but as Falcao loops the ball into the box for the winger, the ball appears to hit his arm. The crowd appeals for hand ball, and the referee agrees.

CHANCE! Sochaux play their way through the midfield before Dias chips it forward for Mayuka, who rushes his finish and fires the ball straight at Subasic, giving the Monaco keeper a comfortable save. It's starting to looks a lot more promising for the home side though.

Faussurier and Carlao control the ball at the back before the Brazilian, who is wearing the captain's armband today, brings it out to the half-way line. This looks like it could be another move for the home side.

CHANCE! Carvalho manages to block the home side's progress on the edge of the box, but Dias decides to go for it from distance, and his 25-yard effort tests Subasic, who manages to palm the powerful strike away as far as Mayuka, who scuffs his attempt at the rebound.

CHANCE! Falcao comes within inches of making it three for Monaco, as Ferreira-Carrasco whips the ball in from out wide, but the Colombian playmaker is being closely marked by Carlao, and can't get a clean header away.

CHANCE! After another Falcao miss, Bakambu breaks from midfield, leaving himself with just Subasic to beat. He takes the shot from distance, but it's easily held by the Monaco stopper. This has turned into a real battle. If Sochaux can get a goal back before half time then it should be a cracking second half.

PENALTY APPEAL! Mayuka shows impressive pace and strength as he bursts into the box before holding off several challenges from Raggi to win a corner. As the ball is delivered back into the box Tisserand colleges with Bakambu at the far post, and immediately the Sochaux striker looks to the referee for a spot kick, but the official isn't interested. He did fall a bit dramatically, which may have counted against him, but there's definitely a shove from the Monaco defender.

Sochaux are continuing to grow in confidence as they string together a series of quick passes to set Sebastien Roudet up for a long-range effort, but it was always heading well high of the crossbar. The home side just need to be a bit more confident in the penalty area, and they have a decent chance of getting back into this tie.

CHANCE! Monaco win a free kick just inside the Sochaux half. Moutinho drills in a long, accurate kick, which Pouplin initially catches, but he can't hold onto it, and almost hands Monaco a third when Obaddi rushes in for a close range tap in, but the Sochaux keeper just manages to gather in time.

CHANCE! Monaco seem to have upped their intensity as they push for what would surely be a match-winning goal. Moutinho delivers another free kick, which Falcao looks to covert with a header, but some good marking from Lopy forces him to head wide.

CHANCE! Ferreira-Carrasco think he's through to complete his hat-trick, but some impressive defending from Peybernes keeps him out. Sochaux try to catch the visitors out on the counter attack, but mis-time the ball into the box.

HALF TIME: Sochaux 0-2 AS Monaco

There scoreline suggests it's Monaco in control at half time, but Sochaux recovered from a poor opening 15 minutes well, and have shown plenty of promise in the first half, they're not out of this yet.

Just to tidy up the team news from earlier, Eric Abidal was initially listed in Monaco's started lineup, but it would appear that he was injured in the team's warmup, and was replaced just before kickoff by Fabinho.

The visitors got off the a flying start thanks to two goals inside the opening 10 minutes from Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco. The Belgian had a couple of decent chances to complete his hat-trick, but Sochaux's defence improved as the half went on, making it trickier for their opponents. In particular, captain Carlao really stood out at the back in the last half hour, despite being responsible for a horrendous mis-cue which gifted Monaco their second.

Let's take a quick look at some of the stats from the opening 45 minutes. Monaco just edged possession, with 52%. The visitors had nine shots in total, including four on target, while Sochaux had six efforts at goal, three of which called Subasic into action. Monaco are yet to have a corner, but the home side have had three.

Falcao has not scored for almost a month, but has looked pretty lively, both creating chances in midfield and looking for the target inside the box so far this afternoon. He may look to seal the win for the visitors in the second half.

Sochaux get the second half underway.

Sochaux are on the attack straight away and force a corner less than a minute into the second half. Dias sends it in for Mayuka, who can't quite get his head to the ball. As it's flicked back in, the striker looks for another chance, but Subasic is able to gather.

CHANCE! Monaco easily win possession in midfield, and a dangerous ball into the box from Moutinho gives Rodriguez a header from just a couple of yards out, but Pouplin tips his over the crossbar to give the visitors their first corner of the game, which resulted in a wide shot from Falcao.

OFF THE BAR! It really should be 2-1. Bakambu sends in a brilliant cross for Mayuka, whose first effort is punched away by Subasic, but it only goes as far as the striker, who smashes it against the crossbar with his second attempt. While this is all very promising for Sochaux, they're going to have to start taking advantage of their opportunities at some point.

CHANCE! Sochaux are enjoying a sustained spell of pressure for the first time in this match. They win a free kick to the left of the penalty area, which is deflected behind for a corner. Dias curls it in for Roudet, whose effort is cleared off the line.

Mayuka is in space in the box again as Dias tries to create another chance, but he elects to take the shot himself from distance, but his effort is blocked by Falcao, who has been back helping out in defence for much of the second half.

GOAL! Sochaux 1-2 Monaco (Bakambu)

Having forced another corner, Dias drills it in again, this time finding Cedric Bakambu, who times his jump perfectly to head in for a well-deserved Sochaux goal. The home side are already on the attack again as they look to get back on level terms.

CHANCE! Sochaux win a free kick when Bakambu is brought down around 25 yards out. Dias's delivery is superb, clearing the wall, and it looked to be dipping under the crossbar, but Subasic just got his fingertips to it to keep the ball out.

SUB! Monaco are sending on fresh legs in a bid to halt Sochaux's impressive spell. Jeremy Toulalan goes off for Geoffrey Kondogbia.

CHANCE! Faussurier comes out from the back to provide assistance down the wing, sending in a cross for Mayuka, but once again the Zambian striker taps it straight to Subasic.

SUB! The home side make their first change as Mayuka appears to have picked up a knock. He's replaced by Abdoul Razzagui Camara.

SUB! Monaco are making their second chance. Joao Moutinho, who put in a big shift with Portugal midweek, is replaces by Lucas Ocampos.

GOAL! Sochaux 2-2 Monaco (Lopy)

Roudet sends in a dangerous ball from midfield looking for Bakambu, but it's deflected wide for a corner. Dias, who has been excellent from set pieces in the second half, sends it in again for the home side, and this time it's Joseph Lopy who gets free to head in the equaliser.

SUB! It's an immediate response from the visitors as they make their final change, sending on Borja Lopez in place of Marcel Tisserand.

SUB! The home side make another substitution as Sanjim Prcic replaces Vincent Nogueira, who has been relatively quiet this afternoon.

BOOKING! The scorer of the equaliser, Lopy, is shown the first yellow card of the match for a challenge from behind on James Lopez.

With the equaliser and a flurry of substitutions, the play has lost it's flow in the last five minutes or so, as both sides seem to be preparing themselves to push for a winner.

BOOKING! Sebastien Roudet earns himself a booking for holding Fabinho back by his shorts.

Raggi almost hands Sochaux the lead as he attempts the tap the ball back to Subasic, but he somehow manages to slice the ball, almost catching his keeper out. That would have been quite a gaffe had Subasic not spared his defender's blushes.

Monaco win a free pick from a strong position when Falcao is fouled around 30 yards out. It's fired in towards the Colombian in the penalty area, who is rugby tackles to the ground by Prcic, but the referee was distracted by a Carvalho foul on Pouplin, and awards a free kick to the home team.

Prcic looks to get involved on the attack as he looks to fire the ball into the Monaco box, but it's cleared by Calvalho, allowing the visitors to go on the counter. A ball into the box from Ocampos looking for Falcao slides harmlessly through to Pouplin. Meanwhile, Dias appears to be injured.

BOOKING! Kondogbia is shown a yellow card for a sliding tackle on Dias, which has forced the midfielder off for treatment. He doesn't look to be in too much pain though, so should be able to come back on.

The Monaco bench looked worries as Sochaux win a throw inside Monaco's final third. Faussurier is playing in a more attacking role again, but his cross in is easily cleared from Fabinho.

BOOKING! Falcao goes in the book following a collision with Lopy.

SUB! Sochaux make their final change, bringing on Loic Puyol to help out in defence, and taking off Rafael Dias. Meanwhile, there will be five added minutes.

CHANCE! Boumal makes a superb run down the left wing before crossing the ball in for Bakambu, but the striker mis-times his jump as he looks for the header, and he can't connect with the delivery.

FULL TIME: Sochaux 2-2 AS Monaco

As the full-time whistle goes, Sochaux celebrate, having come from 2-0 behind after 10 minutes to earn a point against unbeaten Monaco. The home side dominated the second half, and may feel like they could have scored winner late on. It looks like Herve Renard's arrival has had quite on impact at the club.

There's work to do for Monaco. They looked in complete control for the opening 15 minutes of this match before coasting to half time, but could not up the intensity when Sochaux got back into the match after the break.

The result ensures that Paris Saint-Germain will finish the weekend at the top of Ligue 1, two points clear of Monaco, while Sochaux climb off the bottom.

Well that's all from this match, but stick around for live coverage and reports from all off this afternoon's matches, including Tottenham's trip to Aston Villa later this afternoon, and more matches from Ligue 1. Thanks for joining me this afternoon, goodbye.

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Monaco's Colombian forward Radamel Falcao celebrates a goal during the French L1 football match Monaco vs Saint Etienne on October 5, 2013
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