Ligue 1: Montpellier Stun Lille with Late Equalizer in 2-2 Thriller

Lille's unbeaten run extended to 13 matches after a thrilling 2-2 draw against Montpellier, with David scoring a brace for the visitors.

David scored a brace for Lille, but it wasn't enough to secure a win as Montpellier staged a dramatic comeback to earn a 2-2 draw at Stade de la Mosson. The result extended Lille's unbeaten run to 13 matches in all competitions, but they would have been expecting a more convincing victory against the struggling hosts.

Despite their dominance on paper, Lille struggled to create clear-cut chances in the early stages of the match. In fact, it wasn't until the 39th minute that they managed to register a shot on target, courtesy of Mitchel Bakker's effort, which was comfortably saved by Montpellier goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte. This lackluster start ultimately proved costly, as Montpellier capitalized on Lille's inability to kill off the game, scoring a stoppage-time equalizer to snatch a valuable point.

The match sparked to life after Mitchel Bakker's shot on target, as Montpellier came close to scoring a spectacular goal. Arnaud Nordin's knockdown set up Teji Savanier, whose powerful volley forced Lucas Chevalier to make a fine save. This near-miss seemed to galvanize the action, as just a minute later, Jordan Ferri's rash challenge on Matias Fernandez-Pardo led to a penalty being awarded to Lille.

David stepped up to take the penalty and sent Benjamin Lecomte the wrong way, scoring his eighth goal of the campaign. However, Lille's joy was short-lived, as Montpellier equalized in first-half stoppage time. Teji Savanier's corner was met by the head of Issiaga Sylla, who gave Chevalier no chance and sent the teams into the break level. The second half began in similar fashion, with Montpellier conceding another penalty just minutes after the restart. This time, Joris Chotard's clumsy foul on Remy Cabella gave Lille the opportunity to regain the lead from the spot.

David stepped up to take the penalty, and although Benjamin Lecomte guessed correctly, the Lille forward's powerful strike into the roof of the net was unstoppable. This goal marked a significant milestone for Montpellier, who were celebrating their 600th home top-flight fixture. Despite the occasion, La Paillade found themselves trailing once again.

Montpellier pushed hard to find an equalizer, and they were presented with a golden opportunity when Teji Savanier released Musa Al-Taamari through on goal. However, the Jordanian forward failed to capitalize, firing his shot over the bar with only Lucas Chevalier to beat. It seemed as though Lille would hold on for the win, but Montpellier had one final trick up their sleeve.

In the 94th minute, a hopeful cross into the Lille box sparked a chaotic sequence of events, with the ball pinballing around before Arnaud Nordin emerged to prod home the equalizer. This dramatic late goal denied Lille the chance to climb to third in the table, despite extending their unbeaten away run to seven matches. The result also meant that Montpellier remained winless against Lille since 2017, although they will take heart from their resilient performance. The hosts finished the match with 10 men, as Tanguy Coulibaly was dismissed for an off-the-ball challenge.