Ligue 1: Nine-man Monaco withstand Marseille fightback to claim thrilling draw

Marseille twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with nine-man Monaco at the Orange Velodrome.

Wissam Ben Yedder put Monaco in front in the seventh minute in the Ligue 1 clash before Guillermo Maripan’s straight red for his challenge on Vitinha left the visitors to play the majority of the game with a numerical disadvantage.

Maghnes Akliouche's strike deep into first-half injury time cancelled out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s equaliser to ensure Monaco went in at the break ahead, but Leonardo Balerdi’s stunner in the 50th minute earned Marseille a point.

There was more drama late in the game when Denis Zakaria received two quick-fire yellow cards to reduce Monaco to nine men but Adi Hutter’s side were able to hang on for what could yet be a vital point in the race for European football.

The result moved Marseille up a place into sixth, while Monaco remain fourth, level on points with Brest and nine behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

In a frantic opening 15 minutes, Monaco opened the scoring and were then reduced to 10 men.

A brilliant ball over the top from Aleksandr Golovin put Ben Yedder in behind the Marseille defence and the Monaco captain found the bottom corner with his first-time volley to continue his rich vein of form in front of goal.

The strike meant Ben Yedder had scored eight of Monaco’s last nine goals, but the joy was short-lived.

Four minutes later, Maripan was sent off for what the referee adjudged a challenge that denied Vitinha a clear opportunity. It seemed harsh, but no VAR intervention arrived to alert the man in the middle to an error.

It was a moment that changed the momentum of the first half, as the hosts, buoyed by their numerical advantage, probed for an equaliser. Jonathan Clauss and Jean Onana went close in quick succession, but it was Aubameyang who would end his four-game drought to make it 1-1.

The former Arsenal and Chelsea striker was on hand to nudge home in the 38th minute after Vitinha’s first-time effort hit the post, and although it was initially ruled out for offside, a VAR check later confirmed the goal.

Marseille continued to come forward in waves. Luis Henrique and Ulisses Garcia were denied by Philipp Kohn before the hosts were sucker-punched on the break.

After Aubameyang was dispossessed on the edge of the Monaco area, Ben Yedder drove from one end of the Velodrome to the other before feeding Akliouche, who exquisitely picked out the bottom corner to restore the visitors' lead on the stroke of half-time.

The game was level again within five minutes of the restart in spectacular fashion. Balerdi surged forward into the space in front of him and unleashed a thunderous effort into the bottom corner that gave Kohn no chance.

But Marseille could not make the most of their chances to move ahead and pick up what would have been three welcome points.

Garcia looked certain to find the net from close range as the game entered its final quarter but his effort was brilliantly blocked.

There was still time for more drama when Zakaria was sent off after being shown two quick yellows - one for a late challenge and the other for dissent - in the 86th minute, leaving Monaco down to nine men for the final throes of a thrilling clash.

And Marseille should have taken the spoils in the final minute of the additional four when Vitinha was found at the back post with an open goal in front of him, but he could not make good contact and Kohn was able to gratefully gather.

Marseille travel to take on Lyon next on February 4 as they bid to bounce back, while Monaco welcome Le Havre on the same date.

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