Eliminated from the Champions League on Tuesday in extra time in Eindhoven (3-2), Monaco had the mission to bounce back for its first L1 home game of the season.

But after a quarter of an hour, the Rock team found itself at ten after the exclusion of Youssouf Fofana.

In numerical inferiority, and after having missed a penalty, then having been led, the men of Philippe Clement however managed to take a point.

This burst of energy seduced the Stade Louis-II and perhaps definitely created a craze around this team.

Sometimes the wins just aren't enough to thrill.

This draw had the flavor of a victory for the Monegasques, who were cheered during their lap of honor.

They will now have to beat Lens next week to definitely start their season.

For its part, Rennes continues its complicated start after its defeat at home in the opening during the derby against Lorient (1-0).

We will not know if Monaco would have won eleven against eleven.

But everything had started well.

Aleksandr Golovin shifted Krepin Diatta, who backed Vanderson.

The curling shot from the left of the Brazilian hit the crossbar of a beaten Steve Mandanda (13th).

Despite two first strikes from Rennes by Gaëtan Laborde (2nd) and Flavien Tait (5th), Monaco had the game in hand.

Until the referee Jérémie Pignard decides to exclude Fofana for an excess of commitment during a duel with Martin Terrier (15th).

To reorganize his team, Clement then released his captain, Wissam Ben Yedder.

Eliot Matazo injured in the warm-up, it was the young Soungoutou Magassa, 18, who entered central midfield, in a 4-4-1 with the only Embolo in the lead.

Throughout the first period, Monaco did better than equal play with their opponent.

Embolo drove the opposing central defense crazy.

As a fulcrum, like his pass for Aleksandr Golovin, which should have been better exploited (24th).

On an aerial duel, to obtain a penalty in front of Mandanda (31).

On the action, the ex-Marseillais could also have been excluded, as his exit was as poorly controlled as that of Lyonnais Anthony Lopes, against Ajaccio last week.

But unlike Ben Yedder, Monaco's official penalty taker, the world champion remained on the pitch.

He stopped, on his left side, the attempt of Axel Disasi (33rd).

Mandanda was again exceptional with a one-hand save in front of Krépin Diatta (36th).

His exit at the break, on injury, necessarily handicapped the Bretons.

Monaco had then missed its chance.

Opposite, Rennes' offensive machine was active.

But Terrier (20th 28th, 24th, 38th), Santamaria (28th) and Laborde (45+2) came up against an effective Alexander Nübel or his defense.

After the break, Bruno Genesio's men continued to push.

Logically they scored through Laborde, whose dive nicely ended a lucky action (0-1, 59th), where rookie Kalimuendo served Bourigeaud whose failed attempt turned into an assist.

Despite these blows of fate, Embolo never stopped pressing.

He did it successfully in front of the young Turkish Dogan Alemdar, replacing Mandanda at the break.

And his equalizer (1-1, 72nd) rewarded a pugnacious Monegasque collective.

© 2022 AFP