Monaco slump continues with 2-2 draw against Dijon

Monaco slump continues with 2-2 draw against Dijon

Kamil Glik scored Monaco's equalising goal.

Monaco have not won any of their last 10 games. (AFP pic)
MONTE CARLO:
Former World Cup winner Thierry Henry was denied a first taste of success as Monaco coach after a rollercoaster 2-2 home draw with Dijon on Saturday stretched their winless run to 10 games.

Following a 2-1 defeat at Strasbourg and a 1-1 Champions League draw at Belgian rivals Club Brugge, Henry endured a difficult home debut as Monaco salvaged a point after throwing away an early lead.

The result kept the team in 19th position, on seven points from 11 games with goal difference keeping them ahead of bottom side Guingamp, who conceded a late equaliser in a 1-1 home draw with Strasbourg.

Right-back Benjamin Henrichs fired Monaco ahead in the 29th minute with his first goal for the club since his close-season move from Bayer Leverkusen, volleying home superbly after an inviting cross by Antonio Barreca.

Henry’s joy was short-lived as Dijon defender Mickaël Alphonse levelled five minutes later with an equally clinical finish, drilling the ball home from inside the penalty box after a defence-splitting pass by Florent Balmont.

Monaco, who have not won a game in any competition since the opening day’s 3-1 league success at Nantes, looked disjointed in the second half and fell behind after a superb move by the visitors.

Several Dijon players exchanged crisp one-touch passes before Valentin Rosier set up Mehdi Abeid to beat goalkeeper Diego Benaglio with a deflected shot from 18 metres.

Polish centre-back Kamil Glik rescued the home side with a 78th-minute header from close range after Adama Traoré floated in an in-swinging free kick from the right.

Surprise package Lille tightened their grip on second place with a 1-0 home win over Caen, courtesy of a 56th-minute Rafael Leão goal after a fine assist by Nicolas Pépé.

Lille are five points behind champions and leaders Paris Saint-Germain, who are away to Marseille on Sunday in an eagerly-awaited clash of the giants.

Third-placed Montpellier, who have also made a flying start to the season, stayed three points behind Lille with a 3-0 win at Toulouse and fourth-placed Lyon are a further two points adrift after a 2-1 victory at Angers.

Nantes moved clear of the relegation zone with a 2-1 away defeat of 18th-placed Amiens.

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