AS Monaco made the trip to Reims on Sunday night with the chance to move back to the top of the Ligue 1.
The unbeaten Ligue 2 champions slipped to second following Paris Saint-Germain's victory on Saturday, but would return to the head of the table with a point while Reims, who enjoyed numerous big scalps on home soil last season, were yet to taste defeat at Stade Auguste Delaune so far this term.
However, both sides maintained their respective unbeaten records in a thrilling draw.
Read how it all unfolded in our live commentary below.
Hello once again, and welcome to part two of Sports Mole's live Sunday coverage of Ligue 1 where Reims host AS Monaco at Stade Auguste Delaune.
We've already witnessed two cracking matches today, with Nantes earning the Brittany bragging rights with a 3-1 win at Rennes, before Ajaccio and Montpellier HSC were forced to share a score draw despite both sides being reduced to 10 men. Now though, it is time for the team who entered this weekend as the league leaders, as AS Monaco travel to Reims.
This game will definitely not be easy for Claudio Ranieri's Monaco. Reims are unbeaten at home so far this season, and they managed to cause upsets against champions Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon last term. They Reims will certainly be no pushovers tonight.
A win for the hosts, who are currently 10th, could move them up to sixth in the table and towards the European spots, while Monaco will return to the head of Ligue 1 if they simply avoid defeat.
Reims go into this match off the back of four straight draws, with their most recent coming at Bordeaux on Wednesday night. What's more impressive though is that Reims haven't lost since the opening day of the season.
Meanwhile Monaco have dropped points just twice this season after draws with Toulouse at Stade Louis II and PSG at Parc des Princes, and enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 win over Bastia at home during the week.
Right, enough of the background information, let's bring you the team news.
REIMS XI: Agassa, Conte, Tacalfred, Turan, Weber, Atar, Devaux, Krychowiak, Oniangue, De Preville, Fortes
Manager Hubert Fournier has opted to make three changes to the side following their stalemate at Bordeaux during the week.
Mads Albaek, Bocundji Ca and Gaetan Courtet all drop out of the first XI, with Antoine Devaux, Prince Oniangue and Nicolas De Preville coming into the team.
REIMS BENCH: Placide, Fofana, Ca, Peuget, Ayite, Charbonnier, Ghilas
So that is how Reims line up, let's take a gander at Monaco.
MONACO XI: Subasic, Fabinho, Carvalho, Abidal, Kurzawa, Ferreira Carrasco, Moutinho, Obbadi, Ocampos, Falcao, Riviere
Monaco boss Claudio Ranieri makes three changes to the side who brushed aside Bastia on Wednesday.
Andrea Raggi, Geoffrey Kondogbia and James Rodriguez all start on the bench this evening, while Fabinho, Ferreira Carrasco and Mounir Obbadi come into the team.
MONACO BENCH: Romero, Isimat-Mirin, Raggi, Tisserand, Kondogbia, Rodriguez, Germain
The two teams are just making their way out of the tunnel at Stade Auguste Delaune.
Reims are wearing their home kit of red shirts and socks with white shorts, while Monaco are wearing their black away strip.
KICKOFF! Monaco, who are playing from right to left, get the match underway.
It's a 21,000 sellout at Stade Auguste Delaune tonight, and the home fans are making a lot of noise early on.
CHANCE! Reims have started really well here and are putting a lot of pressure on Monaco high up the field. Abidal blasts a clearance straight at De Preville, who then has the ball open up for him on the edge of the box. He could have taken the ball closer to goal, but he rushes his shot and blasts it first time and over.
GOAL! Reims 1-0 AS Monaco (Antoine Devaux)
What a brilliant start from the hosts, they have been all over Monaco and have an early lead. Monaco fail to clear a cross from the right, which results in them having a second from the left. Reims have a surprising number of players forward, and Devaux is there in the centre to nod past Subasic for the opener.
Believe it or not, but Reims had only scored once in their last four matches before tonight. They've wasted little time on this occasion.
Monaco are beginning to attack down the flanks now with the quick Ocampos, but Reims are doing their job well so far. Monaco do seem a bit stunned.
It's no surprise as to why either, they had only conceded three times prior to tonight.
Monaco have a corner on the right, Moutinho to take.
It's easily cleared by Reims, before Moutinho gets a second chance to deliver the ball. Agassa is there to claim it though.
I'm sure Monaco won't be too worried about not scoring tonight. They have the league's top scorer in Falcao up top, and he is partnered by six-goal Emmanuel Riviere, who has scored just one less than his teammate.
Monaco have a free kick right on the corner of the penalty area after Devaux follows through on Moutinho. No card, chance here form the visitors.
GOAL! Reims 1-1 AS Monaco (Joao Moutinho)
Monaco are level and for once it is not Falcao or Riviere with the goal. Joao Moutinho becomes the first player other than the strike duo to score for the Ligue 2 champions this season as he sneaks his free kick past Agassa at the near post. The keeper should have got to it but Moutinho won't care. Game on.
It's been a thrilling start to the match. Atar is about to take a corner on the right.
Turan gets his head on a cross from the left, but it floats over Subasic's crossbar.
Just seen more shots of the equaliser. Moutinho gives Agassa the eyes and looks as if he is going to put a cross in before bending it in off the inside of the post. Brilliant from the Portuguese's point of view.
De Preville rises in the box but cannot get significant contact on the ball from the cross. Reims are certainly not scared to take the match to Monaco.
De Preville is causing all sorts of problems for Monaco again as he darts the right right and breezes past Kurzawa before his crossed is blocked at the last-minute by Abidal.
OFF THE POST! The corner comes back to the near side of the box were Devaux smashes a right-footed half-volley towards goal. It's brilliantly tipped onto the post by an alert Subasic.
YELLOW CARD Lucas Ocampos goes into the book after venting his frustration following a foul.
Despite being pulled back, Reims have been awesome so far tonight. They are really taking it to Monaco when they attack and giving their defence a hard night. At the other end, Falcao nor Riviere have had a sniff.
Fortes nearly finds a way through after bring a pass down inside the area, but Ferreira Carrasco is able to prod the ball behind for Monaco.
SAVE! Ocampos wriggles inside from the right before hitting an effort with his left foot, but the low strike is easy for Agassa to smother.
REIMS CHANGE Hubert Fournier is forced into making a change as Eliran Atar picks up an injury. Floyd Ayite is the man to replace him.
It's a shame for Atar, as he had been very lively before picking up that knock.
MISS! Monaco should be in front and Riviere will be kicking himself. The visitors come down the left before Falcao turns and feeds in Riviere on the left side of the box, but his shot across goal goes wide of the far post.
That would have been harsh on Reims, but you would have fancied Riviere there.
CLOSE! Monaco have come twice in the last few minutes and this time it is Falcao. He twists and turns his marker into a knot on the right, before firing a low effort wide of the far post.
We will have two minutes added time.
De Preville is down after taking Carvalho's studs to the abdomen following an aerial collision. He seems ok to continue though.
HALF TIME: Reims 1-1 AS Monaco
What a brilliant half of football that was at Stade Auguste Delaune. Reims have battered the title contenders in part of this match and started and finished strongly. However, Monaco, despite being put to the sword, have shown glimpses of their quality.
Devaux had given Reims the lead with an early header before Moutinho's free kick levelled up the match.
Here are the half-time stats.
Match statistics:
REIMS:
Shots 7
On target 2
Possession 50%
Corners 4
Fouls 7
AS MONACO:
Shots 7
On target 2
Possession 50%
Corners 3
Fouls 6
The two sides are back out at Stade Auguste Delaune.
KICKOFF! Reims get the second half underway and are shooting to the right in this half.
Reims have lost just one of their last 11 home games, can they extend that to 12 tonight?
SAVE! Terrific stop from Agassa as Kurzawa flicks on a Moutinho corner at the near post, and the keeper can palm the ball behind.
Monaco have started the half really well, a complete contrast to their first-half start.
REIMS CHANGE Mohamed Fofana is the second man brought on by Fournier, with Conte being taken off.
Kondogbia will come on shortly for Monaco.
CHANCE! Ferreira Carrasco smashes a low effort at goal which stings the palms of Agassa, but the keeper holds onto it the second time around.
MONACO CHANGE Interesting move from Claudio Ranieri, who brings on the defensive midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia, in place of striker Riviere.
That is a strange one from Ranieri, but I would guess that Ferreira Carrasco and Ocampos will be pushed up as the wingers in a 4-3-3 formation either side of Falcao. Kondogbia will link up with Moutinho and Obbadi in the middle.
Moutinho will also get more freedom in midfield now to try and pick his passes, with Kondogbia taking some of the defensive duties off his shoulders.
No chances in the last few minutes, but the game still boasts a very high tempo.
OFF THE BAR! Reims are inches away from a superb second goal. The ball is floated over to the left side of the box where Ayite meets the cross by bringing it under control and unleashes a stunning effort that smashes Subasic's crossbar. Dreadfully unlucky.
De Preville is left in a heap by Abidal. The game is heating up and the crowd love it.
MONACO CHANGE James Rodriguez has entered the fray for Monaco, with Ferreira Carrasco the man taken off.
Rodriguez is thrown straight into the action as he weaves his way through bodies in the Reims box, before hitting a shot while falling over which is stopped by Agassa.
Monaco have looked a lot more dangerous since Rodriguez was brought on. Reims are still threatening, but Monaco now have so much pace on the counter.
Monaco counter with Moutinho spreading the ball on the left to Ocampos. He cuts in and hits a shot, but it is straight at Agassa.
Fabinho races forward down the right before picking up the pass and tries to put a low cross into the box. It's too close to the keeper, but has so much power that Agassa is forced to put the ball behind.
YELLOW CARD Monaco are outraged as Falcao is wrestled to the ground by Weber. The defender picks up a yellow, but Monaco feel that he was the last man.
REIMS CHANGE Final change from Fournier as Charbonnier is on for De Preville.
Awesome goalkeeping from Subasic who enters a footrace with Ayite as they chase the loose ball. If the Reims man gets their first then his side go ahead, but Subasic slides in and makes a brilliant tackle.
YELLOW CARD Turan is the latest man into the book for Reims.
RED CARD! What utter stupidity from Turan. Having been booked just seconds earlier, Turan picks up his second yellow card for lunging in at Rodriguez.
Falcao has the ball in the back of the net after a lovely turn and finish in tight space. However, he had controlled the ball with his hand. No yellow card though.
CLOSE! Fortes picks the ball up from the cross on the far side of the box, but smashes his shot just over.
We will have three minutes of added time.
This looks to be ending all square, but both teams are busting a gut to find a winner.
FULL TIME: Reims 1-1 AS Monaco
Well that brings an end to a wonderful game of football which Monaco really fought to win a point. Reims did not deserve to lose tonight and could have even won it.
Right, let's bring you the stats from that contest.
Match statistics:
REIMS:
Shots 14
On target 4
Possession 49%
Corners 6
Fouls 15
AS MONACO:
Shots 16
On target 7
Possession 51%
Corners 7
Fouls 11
Well that's it from me today. I hope you've enjoyed the action. Until the next time, goodbye.
Written by
Matt Cotton
Matt Cotton
