Brest (AFP)

Defeated Wednesday against Metz, Montpellier was further slowed down Sunday in Ligue 1 in Brest, where the Hérault team only won a draw (2-2) thanks to Andy Delort, passer then scorer, stagnant at the foot of the podium.

Michel Der Zakarian's men, who remained on four straight away wins, however retain their provisional 5th place (27 pts) in the Ligue 1 standings during this 16th day, before the reception on Wednesday from Lille for a shock ambitious.

A defeat on Wednesday against Messins (2-0), a draw on Sunday: this is only one point taken out of six possible for the MHSC, which seems to be marking time.

Always so combative, the Brestois fail for their part to switch to the first part of the table, after seeing Irvin Cardona miss the match point in the last moments, like Wednesday in Lyon (2-2).

In a cold wind, the match started at an unusually quiet pace for the two teams which, before this day, had scored or conceded the most goals this season: a total of 100 in the first 15 matches of the two teams (52 of the side of Brest, 48 on the side of Montpellier), an average of 3.3 goals per game.

Despite fireworks fired from behind the stands by Brest supporters, who very briefly stopped the match just after kick-off, the opportunities remained poor on both sides.

- Cardona misses the match point -

The game was animated with the opening of the scoring for Montpellier, thanks to an uncrossed header from Gaëtan Laborde, who had spent a complicated season in Brest (2014-2015), on a magnificent tense cross from Andy Delort (0- 1, 45th + 1).

The Brestois then increased the pressure, with a strike and then a head not sufficiently supported by Steve Mounié, the Brest striker trained and revealed in Montpellier, found twice at the penalty spot.

On a cross from Romain Perraud, headed by Mounié, Romain Philippoteaux then managed to pivot to strike under the crossbar and score his first goal under the Brest jersey (1-1, 58th).

Returned immediately to the attack, the Brestois, saved by a post for the 17th time of the season on a header from Delort (75th) - took the advantage with a shot from Brendan Chardonnet, left alone at the far post on a corner from Romain Faivre (2-1, 79th).

But Montpellier continued to press and saw his efforts rewarded by a curled shot from the right of Delort (2-2, 81st).

And if the men of Der Zakarian, pressed by their coach, have tried to continue their momentum, it was Cardona who had the ball of the hold-up at the last minute.

Thrown alone in the back of the defense, he struck aside.

© 2020 AFP