The match: 1-1
After Metz’s victory in Lens on Friday (2-1), Clermont had to win to get closer to its direct opponents in the race to maintain. Against Montpellier, the Auvergnats were on the right track when they reached the locker room at the break after opening the score thanks to a penalty from Muhammed Cham in added time (1-0, 45th+5). The Austrian had seen his first attempt stopped by Benjamin Lecomte but the MHSC goalkeeper did not have a foot on his line and the penalty had to be withdrawn. Cham changed sides, Lecomte too but the ball passed under the arm of the former Monegasque.
A goal to end a balanced first period where both teams had their opportunities. But the Clermontois initially lacked spontaneity through Alan Virginius who had the ball stolen by the excellent return of Modibo Sagnan (10th), before lacking precision, Elbasan Rashani crossing his shot too much after excellent work from Habib Keïta (29th).
Coulibaly emerges and takes advantage of an error from Matsima
For their part, the Montpellier residents also missed the point in the last gesture. This is evidenced by the off-target attempts by Téji Savanier (13th, 32nd). But they also came up against the vigilance of Mory Diaw, author of two good saves in the first act against Akor Adams (25th) then Arnaud Nordin (43rd).
Upon returning from the locker room, the Hérault residents pressed on. Adams saw his head graze the crossbar on a corner (49th) before Tanguy Coulibaly found the net, taking advantage of a missed intervention by Chrislain Matsima on a cross from Enzo Tchato to adjust Diaw (1-1, 56th ). Michel Der Zakarian’s players could have taken the advantage on the scoreboard if Wahbi Khazri had better exploited a new dangerous cross from Tchato (73rd).
3
Montpellier continues a third match without defeat after its successes against Lorient (2-0) and Le Havre (2-0).
In the standings, this draw does not help the red lantern of Clermont, four points behind the play-off team, Lorient, who played one match less. Montpellier remains thirteenth with seven points ahead of the relegation zone.
The player: Tanguy Coulibaly
The Montpellier winger showed off his speed on the Gabriel-Montpied pitch, undermining his opposite number Mehdi Zeffane. His tumbles down the left lane brought danger into the Auvergne penalty area. Tanguy Coulibaly almost opened the scoring to Savanier, whose header did not find the target after half an hour of play. The player trained at PSG and played by Stuttgart then scored his first goal in Ligue 1, taking advantage of an error by the Clermont rearguard.
