AS Monaco welcomed Evian TG to the Stade Louis II on Friday night with the chance to move level on points at the top of Ligue 1.
The principality club went into the match off the back of two consecutive defeats in all competitions, while Evian were looking to push further away from the relegation zone and towards the top half of the table.
In a frantic and entertaining match, both sides were forced to settle for a point.
Read how the match unfolded in our live commentary below.
Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage from the Stade Louis II where AS Monaco host Evian TG in Ligue 1 action.
Tonight's encounter should be a very interesting one as Monaco look to return to winning ways in the league, having suffered their first Ligue 1 defeat of the season last weekend against Lille. Claudio Ranieri's side went down 2-0 at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, which came just days after their elimination from the Coupe de la Ligue at the hands of Reims. So after two consecutive losses in a week, Ranieri will be desperate to see his side respond.
On the contrary, Evian find themselves in the middle of a purple patch. They have won their last three games in all competitions, and now sit seven points clear of the relegation zone at such an early stage of the season. They'll be looking to take advantage of Monaco's recent blip, and get their fourth straight win.
One way or another, history is being made tonight as Monaco and Evian square off for the first time ever. They avoided plying their trade in the same division, due to Monaco's initial relegation from Ligue 1 coming at the same time of Evian's promotion from Ligue 2. They finally meet tonight.
Right, let's bring you the team news, starting with the home side.
MONACO XI: Subasic, Fabinho, Carvalho, Abidal, Kurzawa, Toulalan, Moutinho, Ferreira-Carrasco, Ocampos, Rodriguez, Falcao
Manager Claudio Ranieri has made two changes to the team that were beaten by Lille on Sunday.
Brazilian right-back Fabinho gets his place back in the side, taking the place of Andrea Raggi, while Mounir Obbadi is replaced by Lucas Ocampos.
Falcao starts in attack for Monaco, with James Rodriguez and Lucas Ocampos on either flank.
Here is what Ranieri has on the substitutes' bench.
MONACO BENCH: Romero, Isimat-Mirin, Raggi, Tisserand, Kondogbia, Obbadi, Riviere
And now for the visitors.
EVIAN XI: Hansen, Angoula, Mensah, Mongongu, Sabaly, Wass, Barbosa, Ehret, Sorlin, Tie Bi, Sougou
Pascal Dupraz names an unchanged team for the match, having beaten Toulouse last Saturday.
That means that Evian are still without top scorer Kevin Berigaud, who remains sidelined with injury.
Sougou keeps his place in attack, with Barbosa and Ehret on either wing to support him.
EVIAN BENCH: Salamone, Blanc, Kone, Benezet, Bertoglio, Nisor, Ruben
With just a few minutes until kick off, this is what both managers had to say in the build-up.
Ranieri: "I am convinced that the team has learned from what happened [at Lille] and their reaction will be very important.
"My experience has taught me that things will not always go well over the course of a season but I think we will put in a good performance on Friday evening."
Dupraz: "We are not competing on the same level as them, we know that. Our aim is to build on our good recent performances.
"If we go to Monaco to get a tan and look at the rock, we risk coming away with a hiding. There is never a good time to play them but if we want to climb the table we will need to continue our unbeaten run."
Both teams are out at the Stade Louis II, the game is about to start.
KICK OFF! The match is underway at Stade Louis II.
Evian have an early free kick in a good position just outside the Monaco box. Barbosa curls it, but it's too tame and an easy low catch for Subasic.
Monaco are wearing their usual home strip of diagonally divided red and white shirts with white shorts and socks, Evian are in their away kit of all purple.
Monaco are playing from right to left in this first half, Evian the opposite.
Monaco have been on top since that early Evian chance and have had all the possession but haven't managed to test Hansen properly yet.
Monaco win a corner after Rodriguez's low cross is deflected behind. Moutinho takes it, but Evian can clear comfortably.
Evian win a free kick in a crossing position on the left touchline.
Barbosa is the man to curl it in, but Ferreira-Carrasco can clear the second ball into the opponent's half.
SAVE! Nearly a chance for Monaco as Ferreira-Carrasco picks up the ball on the right of the box before rolling it to his left and spinning in a low, dipping cross with the outside of his boot. It's just too far ahead of Radamel Falcao, but still forces a save out of Hansen to be safe.
It seems to me as if Evian are lining up in a 4-4-2, with Barbosa partnering Sougou in attack. The former is looking pretty central and very advanced up the field.
Monaco are still dictating play and their fans appeal for a penalty as Falcao goes down in the box under the challenge of Mongongu. The defender looks like he is all over the back of the Colombian, but the referee gives nothing.
Interesting, it doesn't look as if there is too big a crowd here tonight. The Stade Louis II is looking a little emptier than usual.
SAVE! Monaco take a short corner which ends up with Ferreira-Carrasco on the edge of the box. He smashes his half-volley into the ground, but it bounces awkwardly and forces Hansen to tip it over the bar.
The resulting corner doesn't create as much of a problem for Evian, and they can clear.
CLOSE! Monaco are starting to create more chances as Lucas Ocampos runs onto a long ball over the top on the right of the box, and he fizzes a low first-time hit into the side-netting.
GOAL! AS Monaco 0-1 Evian TG (Daniel Wass)
Isn't that just football. Just as Monaco were starting to move up the gears, Evian take the lead against the run of play. It's poor defending from the hosts as a huge clearance downfield turns into a pass to Wass, who keeps his cool on the right of the box before smashing the ball on the half-volley into the far corner past Subasic. Lovely finish, shoddy defending, Evian lead!
YELLOW CARD Tie Bi picks up the game's first caution for hacking down Ocampos.
Really good chance for Evian, who again hit Monaco on the break. Wass has oceans of space on the right of the box and tries to cut the ball back to Sougou in the middle, but it's too close to Subasic, who saves.
Another nearly chance for Evian, this time Sougou bares down on goal, but Subasic is quickly out. Monaco need to sort it out at the back because Evian are getting in behind them far too easily.
GOAL! AS Monaco 1-1 Evian TG (Radamel Falcao)
Monaco do one better and find an equaliser. Rodriguez slides in Falcao from the edge of the D, and the striker takes the ball in his stride before smashing it with his right into the far bottom corner.
Dupraz is having a right go at the fourth official for some reason, not sure why though.
We've had a break in play as Barbosa is down nursing an injury. He walks off the field with an ice pack on his shoulder, but I have a feeling he may return. No change has been made yet.
It looks as if Barbosa can't continue, Dupraz is just waiting to make a change.
Tie Bi, who is on a yellow, commits a clumsy foul on Rodriguez. He has to be careful.
EVIAN CHANGE Nicolas Benezet comes on in place of the injured Barbosa.
Play has been stopped again, but this time it is so that the referee can try to calm down Dupraz on the touchline. The Evian boss is fuming about something, not sure what though.
Monaco are back in the ascendancy, but haven't managed another shot on goal. Evian are still playing on the break. The game is finely poised currently, and pretty entertaining.
Evian are starting to see a bit more of the ball now after Monaco's possessional dominance. Can either side mount a chance before the break?
CLOSE! Rodriguez takes a corner from the left which he strangely hands well away from the area. However, it lands on the volley of Toulalan, who smashes it just wide of the far post. Nearly a brilliant goal.
Into the final minute of the half now, plus added time.
HALF TIME: AS Monaco 1-1 Evian TG
The referee brings an entertaining first half to an end which leaves the match finely poised. It's Monaco's possessional dominance versus the pacey Evian counter-attack.
Daniel Wass gave Evian a shock lead against the run of play, before Radamel Falcao levelled up the match just a few minutes later.
That was Falcao's ninth Ligue 1 goal of the season, which puts him level at the top of the scoring charts with Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani.
Let's take a peek at the half-time statistics.
Match statistics:
AS Monaco:
Shots 4
On target 1
Possession 66%
Corners 5
Fouls 3
Evian TG:
Shots 2
On target 2
Possession 34%
Corners 0
Fouls 10
The teams are leaving the dressing rooms and making their way back to the pitch.
KICK OFF! Monaco, playing from left to right, get the half underway.
Monaco are straight on the attack, and have had two corners already.
Make that three.
None of the corners were particularly troubling for Evian, and they can clear.
Evian have a free kick which is floated towards the far post. Subasic comes for it and flies through the air before landing on his back in a heap. He is ok though, and it will be a goal kick.
Even game at the moment but no real chances since the break. Evian have coped well with Monaco's attacking possession so far.
Nearly a chance for Falcao as he brings the ball down in the box from a cross, but he loses his footing at the last moment.
Monaco haven't really started the half too brilliantly, they're looking a little flat.
As I say that, Falcao smashes a shot at Hansen, although he was offside anyway.
To be fair, as much as Monaco look flat, Evian are looking very organised at the back.
Ferreira whips in a good cross from the left with Rodriguez lurking, but Hansen can push it away.
SAVE! Massive stop from Subasic! Monaco's defence gets in a pickle, leaving Sougou to go one-on-one with the keeper. He brings it inside the box and tries to side-foot it past Subasic, but the Monaco man can make the save. Should have scored.
Double change coming up for Monaco.
MONACO CHANGES Moutinho and Ferreira-Carrasco are replaced, with defensive midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia and striker Emmanuel Riviere coming on.
Looks as if Ranieri is now playing a 4-4-2 with Riviere partnering Falcao in attack. Rodriguez and Ocampos will occupy the flanks, with Moutinho and Kondogbia inside.
EVIAN CHANGE I'm not sure if this is due to injury or what, but Nicolas Benezet has just come off having been brought on in the first half. Dan Nistor is on in his place.
Having come off worse in a clash of heads, Ricardo Carvalho has just returned to the field sporting a Terry Butcher style white bandage wrapped around his forehead.
Monaco have a corner which falls to Toulalan, not for the first time, on the edge of the box. He drills a low shot through a crowd of bodies but it is comfortably saved by Hansen.
Monaco are on the frontfoot at the moment.
CLOSE! Very nearly a goal for Riviere, but he heads just wide of the far post from a Toulalan cross on the right.
EVIAN CHANGE Final alteration from Dupraz as Marco Ruben comes on in place of Ehret.
CHANCE! Wonderful opportunity for Evian as Sougou finds himself through on goal on the left side of the box. He looks offside but the play goes on, only for Sougou to wildly rush his effort and smash it over the bar. Big chance.
YELLOW CARD Carvalho goes into the book for a reckless late challenge.
SAVE! Evian go close again, and they are looking good to retake the lead. Nistor has a pop from the edge of the box with a curling strike, but Subasic can make a fine stop.
YELLOW CARD Sougou goes into the book for a late tackle on the touchline against Toulalan.
OFF THE BAR! Ocampos comes inches away from putting the hosts ahead. He get the ball on the edge of the box and hits a half-volley, but it crashes off the bar.
It's end to end, and it's frantic.
We'll have three minutes of added time.
CLOSE! Somehow, and I don't know how, it's still level. Sougou and Wass both have efforts from close-range blocked. Monaco are hanging on.
FULL TIME: AS Monaco 1-1 Evian TG
I can't believe that this had ended at just 1-1, but both sides come away with a point. It's a good one for Evian, who maintain their unbeaten run, but Monaco could now find themselves five points behind league leaders PSG if they win tomorrow.
Radamel Falcao cancelled out Daniel Wass' opener, meaning that Monaco now have won just once in their past five games. Evian climb to 12th for now.
Before I go, let's take a look at the full-time statistics.
Match statistics:
AS Monaco:
Shots 14
On target 2
Possession 64%
Corners 12
Fouls 8
Evian TG:
Shots 10
On target 5
Possession 36%
Corners 2
Fouls 21
That's from me tonight. Until tomorrow, goodnight.
