Monaco 2-2 Lille: Wissam Ben Yedder scores late as home side fight back from two down despite Strahinja Pavlović red

It was disappointment for Jocelyn Gourvennec and Lille as they were pegged back by Monaco 2-2 in a tight affair at the Stade Louis II.

In a game between two sleeping giants wallowing in the murky waters of mid-table, it was the reigning champions who started much the brighter, taking a two-goal lead inside ten minutes with a Jonathan David brace.

The first came from the penalty spot after Strahinja Pavlovic felled Xeka on the edge of the area, and the Canadian sent home goalkeeper Alexander Nubel the wrong way to open the scoring.

He'd get his second not too long after. After a wonderful driving run from Tiago Djalo into midfield from centre-back, the Portuguese delivered an inch-perfect pass for David to slide between the onrushing Nubel's legs.

He could have, and perhaps should have, had a first-half hat-trick had he converted a one-on-one on 39 minutes, but the German keeper stood his ground and halted the hotshot in his tracks.

Krepin Diatta then beat visiting goalkeeper Ivo Grbic for pace at the near post with four minutes to go until the interval, coming at a time when Monaco were very much being dominated by a comfortable, confident Lille side.

But Niko Kovac's side came roaring back in the second half: Sofiane Diop roamed a little more centrally to create, Caio Henrique was more advanced at left-back, delivering decent crosses, and Gelson Martins was a threat down the right, having replaced the injured Diatta.

Pavlovic was sent off to add to the home side's misery; dismissed for a second yellow after a foul on Jonathan Ikone.

Kevin Volland was wasteful with his finishing, skying a free kick and nodding into the gloves of Grbic as the hosts pushed for that elusive equaliser, which finally came through club icon Wissam Ben Yedder seven minutes from time.

Coming off the bench to salvage a point for the home side, the 31-year-old lashed a shot inside the near post of Grbic to delight Kovac and devastate Gourvennec.

The second half was so much better from the home side, as Kovac tinkered his tactics to nullify the previously dangerous threat of the visitors, and it worked to full effect.

Yusuf Yazici was quieter than in the opening 45, and Jonathan Ikone wasn't bringing out his flicks and tricks quite as much as he had been.

In the final third, Monaco looked more dangerous. Diop was getting on the ball more, Volland was linking play better, and Boadu was running the channels harder than before creating space for those in behind him.

It would all pay off as Ben Yedder struck gold on 83 minutes, and the ten men of Monaco snuck a point that would have seemed oh-so undeserved at half time.

Monaco: Nubel 6, Aguilar 5, Disasi 6, Pavlovic 5, Henrique 6, Diatta 6, Fofana 6, Tchouameni 6, Diop 7, Boadu 6, Volland 6, Martins 7, Ben Yedder 7, Jakobs 6, Maripan 6.

Lille: Grbic 6 Celik 6, Fonte 6, Djalo 7, Bradaric 5. Ikone 7, Andre 6, Xeka 6, Yazici 7, David 8, Weah 6, Niasse 6, Lihadji 6.

The scorer of both goals, the Canadian was electric in front of goal for the visitors, and it was after he went off that they would throw away two points.

The Canadian worked hard off the ball to put the home defence under significant pressure, and he would link excellently with both Ikone and Yazici behind him as Lille looked likely to run riot in the first half.

He was quieter in the second as the hosts came back fighting, but he still showed his quality on the counter with his pace in behind and his eye for goal.

Desperately unlucky not to have three goals, or three points.

3': PENALTY! An early spot kick for the visitors! It was a melee on the edge of the area, starting with a burst of pace from Ikone, a block from Pavlovic is followed as he fells Xeka in the second instance. VAR checks it. // 5': GOAL! The penalty's been given, and Jonathan David steps up... and scores. 1-0.

9': GOALLLL!!! It's two inside ten minutes, as a driving run from Tiago Djalo out of defence into midfield allows him some space to pick a lovely ball througn towards David... who finishes with aplomb to double the lead!

41': GOAL!! Monaco are back in the game! Krepin Diatta with the finish, beating Grbic for pace at the near post. Bradaric steps off the winger, but Grbic shouldn't be beaten from there. 2-1.

78': RED CARD! Pavlovic is off! Second yellow, and Monaco are down to ten after a challenge on Ikone.

83': GOALLL!!!! It's Wissam Ben Yedder!!! What a combination down the left hand side from the hosts, and they're level, despite being down to ten! 2-2!