Montpellier and Dijon played out a 1-1 draw in Ligue 2's opening round on Friday evening. The result keeps the hosts in fifth place with eight points from five games, while Dijon remain rooted to eighteenth with just three points from five matches. Both sides had chances to win, but the final minutes provided the decisive moment.
Montpellier took the lead through Y. Mouanga in the 90th minute, a late strike that appeared to secure all three points. Dijon refused to go away, and A. Lembezat worked an equaliser three minutes into stoppage time. The visitors had created more big chances overall, but it was the hosts who found the breakthrough first.
The match was punctuated by six yellow cards, with Montpellier's N. Mukiele being cautioned in the 27th minute. D. Meddah picked up a booking in the 63rd minute, while Dijon's B. Ndezi and T. Chennahi went into the referee's book before half-time. A. Lembezat and L. Lacroix completed the disciplinary list for the visitors.
There were seven substitutions in total, with Montpellier making four changes and Dijon three. N. El Hannach and Y. Barka came on for the hosts in the 64th and 66th minutes. B. Ndezi, M. Barreto, D. Meddah, A. Ntamack and M. Camara were among those brought on as the game wore on.
Montpellier dominated possession at 56 per cent and completed 442 passes to Dijon's 357. The hosts registered 18 key passes and created two big chances, while the visitors managed seven key passes and three big chances. Shots were more evenly matched, with Montpellier claiming six on target from 15 attempts and Dijon hitting four from eight.
The draw leaves Montpellier five points clear of the relegation zone, with Dijon still needing their first victory of the campaign. Both teams had been in mixed form in pre-season, but this result suggests neither side has found their rhythm quite yet.