Monaco lose momentum in Lorient draw
Saturday, February 1, 2014
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Title-chasing AS Monaco FC find themselves five points behind Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain after needing a late goal to salvage a 2-2 draw at mid-table FC Lorient.
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Title-chasing AS Monaco FC lie five points behind Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain after being held to a 2-2 draw at FC Lorient.
The long trip north-west to Lorient was never going to be an easy one for Claudio Ranieri's outfit, as their hosts had suffered just one defeat in the league since their loss away against Paris on 1 November. Had Monaco forgotten that fact, they were reminded of it as early as the 12th minute, when Vincent Aboubakar headed in his 12th league goal of the season to hand Lorient the lead.
Valère Germain levelled for the visitors shortly before the interval, but Jérémie Aliadière put Lorient back on top with 17 minutes to go, and it looked as though the former Arsenal FC forward's tap-in would consign Monaco to their first defeat of 2014. Instead, Layvin Kurzawa met a Lucas Ocampos cross three minutes from time to salvage a point for the Riviera club.
In fourth, AS Saint-Étienne closed within a point of France's UEFA Champions League berths courtesy of a 3-0 success against Valenciennes FC. FC Nantes, in seventh, succumbed 1-0 at struggling FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, while Montpellier Hérault SC prevailed 4-2 at Stade de Reims – Rémy Cabella scoring twice for the victors. SC Bastia edged EA Guingamp 3-2, and bottom club AC Ajaccio drew 1-1 at Évian Thonon Gaillard FC.
