Paris (AFP)

Montpellier, slowed down in Brest (2-2), missed the opportunity to return to the foot of the Ligue 1 podium on Sunday during a 16th day favorable to Monaco, which sank Dijon (1-0) to climb to sixth place and erase three losses in a row.

- Montpellier misses -

Andy Delort was not enough: passer then scorer, the Montpellier captain allowed his team to avoid defeat on the Brest lawn.

But this draw does not do the business of the MHSC, which missed the opportunity to overtake Marseille (4th) just behind the leading trio of Lyon, Lille and Paris SG.

That's just one point taken in two matches for Michel Der Zakarian's team, beaten against all odds by Metz on Wednesday in La Mosson (2-0).

Nothing to show off before hosting Losc next Wednesday ...

In the standings, the MHSC (5th) has 27 points, just behind OM (4th, 28 pts) which also shared the points on Saturday night against Reims (1-1) but has the advantage of being two matches behind.

The only positive point for Montpellier is the mental strength displayed while Brest led thanks to Romain Philippoteaux (58th) then Brendan Chardonnet (76th): Delort, already decisive passer for Gaëtan Laborde (45th + 1), appeared in the home stretch of the match to snatch the draw with a powerful strike (82nd).

As for Brest, who had never conceded a draw this season before this week, it makes two in a row after the one obtained in Lyon on Wednesday (2-2).

- Monaco and Bordeaux bounce back -

For the Monegasques and the Girondins, who remained respectively on three defeats in a row and two consecutive losses, the victory is good.

In Dijon, at the red lantern, ASM stopped the bleeding by inflicting on the Burgundians their ninth defeat of the season: the German Kevin Volland, served by Wissam Ben Yedder, scored his sixth goal in L1 (15th) and this was enough for the happiness of the Principality's team.

Here is Monaco provisionally sixth (26 pts), within reach of the fourth place of Marseille.

For its part, Bordeaux regained success thanks to a collective performance in Strasbourg sealed by two goals from its Brazilians Pablo with a header (38th) and Otavio with a flat foot (66th).

It is a great reward for Jean-Louis Gasset's team which is moving forward after its setbacks in Lille (2-1) and against Saint-Etienne (2-1).

The Bordelais are 12th with 22 points, five lengths from European places.

- Nantes is tearing itself apart, Saint-Etienne is trampling -

It's been a month and a half since FC Nantes did not win in L1 but they at least managed to snatch the draw at home against Angers (1-1) on a lucky goal from Charles Traoré of a not very academic recovery of the chest (90th + 4).

In a meeting marked by a new demonstration of supporters demanding, in calm, the departure of Waldemar Kita, owner of the club since 2007, Nantes offered almost nothing until this equalization.

And when Romain Thomas scored for Angers from a corner (42nd), the team now coached by Patrick Collot had to wait for a billiard shot in added time to share the points.

Not really reassuring for Nantes before going to challenge the ogre Lyon on Wednesday, undefeated since mid-September, for the last day before the truce ...

For Saint-Etienne, things are a little better: the eleven of Claude Puel has not lost since the end of November ... but he chained his fourth draw in five days, without confirming the great victory obtained Wednesday in Bordeaux.

Headed Harold Moukoudi (8th) and Arnaud Nordin (63rd) kept the Greens afloat while the Crocos led thanks to Mattéo Ahlinvi (14th) and a penalty from Renaud Ripart (56th).

Result: the two clubs stagnate at the bottom of the table, respectively 14th and 18th.

Results of the 16th day:

Saturday 19 December

Metz - Lens 2 - 0

Marseille - Reims 1 - 1

Nice - Lyon 1 - 4

Sunday December 20

Brest - Montpellier 2 - 2

Nantes - Angers 1 - 1

Dijon - Monaco 0 - 1

Strasbourg - Bordeaux 0 - 2

Saint-Etienne - Nîmes 2 - 2

(5:00 p.m.) Lorient - Rennes

(9 p.m.) Lille - Paris SG

© 2020 AFP