The National Times - Sloppy Monaco stunned by Ligue 1 strugglers Montpellier

Jordan's Mousa Al-Tamari was the hero for Montpellier with a second-half brace as they claimed just a third win of the season to breathe life into a survival bid which looked hopeless coming into this match.

Captain Thilo Kehrer had headed Monaco in front just after the half-hour mark at the Stade de la Mosson, but the downward trend in Monaco's results is worrying as they prepare to host Aston Villa next Tuesday.

They have failed to win any of their last four Ligue 1 matches and could drop out of the top three later, depending on the outcome of the night's other encounter between Lille and Nice, the two teams directly beneath them in the standings.

Adi Huetter's side were eliminated from the French Cup on penalties by Reims on Tuesday and have won just twice in 11 matches in all competitions.

They are currently 16th in the Champions League standings but have lost their last two games in Europe and another loss against Villa at the Stade Louis II would leave them at risk of failing to make the knockout phase.

They had threatened to run away with the game early on and deservedly went in front when Kehrer nodded in a corner at the near post.

Yet bizarrely the game changed completely after a hold-up of several minutes at the start of the second half caused by Montpellier fans playing loud dance music out of speakers behind the goal at one end of the stadium.

Tamari was gifted an equaliser on 55 minutes when he pounced on Kassoum Ouattara's short back-pass to round the goalkeeper and score his first goal of the season.

He then got the winner for Montpellier eight minutes from the end, beating Radoslaw Majecki low at the goalkeeper's near post after being set up by Arnaud Nordin.

Tamari almost completed his hat-trick at the death as Montpellier held on to move level on points with Le Havre at the bottom, and within four points of safety ahead of the weekend's other games.

A.Little--TNT