Montpellier playmaker Alberto Costa scored in injury time to earn a
1-1 draw against 10-man Bordeaux and keep his team level on points
with the French league leader on Sunday.
Bordeaux looked set to move three points clear at the top
after Cedric Carrasso saved two penalties in a 10-minute spell
during the first half and Marouane Chamakh put the home side ahead
in the 59th minute. However, Costa leveled with a free kick in the
final seconds that took Carrasso by surprise.
Bordeaux lost Michael Ciani to a red card in the 32nd minute.
Bordeaux and Montpellier have 52 points each. Defending
champion Bordeaux, which has two games in hand, tops the league on
goal difference.
"We had two penalties and we should have killed them off, but
we showed we have character and what we are capable of,"
Montpellier coach Rene Girard said.
Montpellier goalkeeper Geoffrey Jourdren prevented Bordeaux
from opening the scoring in the fourth minute with a good save at
Fernando Cavenaghi's feet following a free kick taken by Yoann
Gourcuff.
Gourcuff then tried his luck from a direct free kick two
minutes later but the France playmaker's shot flew straight at
Jourdren.
Montpellier, which only returned to the top flight last
season, defended well but too often lost possession and struggled
to create chances in the first 30 minutes.
Girard's team had a golden oportunity to take the lead from
the penalty spot after Ciani had fouled striker Victor Hugo
Montano, earning himself a red card. But Carrasso pulled off a good
save to deny Argentine midfielder Alberto Costa's powerful shot.
Montpellier missed another opportunity from the spot nine
minutes later when Matthieu Chalme handled the ball in the box.
Montano converted the resulting penalty but saw his goal
disallowed because the Colombian striker had stopped his run before
kicking the ball. Carrasso then saved his second attempt.
Montpellier had most of the possession after the interval but
failed to take advantage of its numerical superiority and allowed
Chamakh to give Bordeaux the lead with a half-volley from the edge
of the box into the bottom corner.
Montpellier forward Souleymane Camara missed the target in
the 89th minute but Costa made no mistake with his free kick at the
very end.
Also Sunday, Marseille dropped two valuable points in the
title race when it was held to a 1-1 draw by Lorient.
Following an impressive 3-0 win at Paris Saint-Germain last
week, Marseille's draw meant it remained fourth with 49 points from
26 games.
Marseille had a first chance in the 15th minute when
playmaker Lucho Gonzalez picked out Mamadou Niang, only to see the
Senegal striker missing the target with a right-foot shot.
Lorient goalkeeper Fabien Audard produced a great save to
deny Gonzalez's effort in the 34th minute but he was helpless two
minutes before halftime when Niang - the league's top scorer with
15 goals - found the net from close range following a swift passing
move.
Marseille looked set to stretch its winning run to six games
in all competitions but Laurent Koscielny leveled in the 64th
minute after goalkeeper Steve Mandanda deflected his header onto
the post and the defender snapped up the rebound.
Last-placed Grenoble was held to a 1-1 draw by struggling Le
Mans, which remained in the relegation zone.
A few days before traveling to Spain for its Champions League
last 16 second-leg clash with Real Madrid, Lyon had to settle for a
0-0 draw at Boulogne on Saturday. The seven-time champion is third
with 50 points.
