Monaco throw away two-goal lead and draw with Toulouse as Ansu Fati makes debut

Monaco surrendered a two-goal lead on Saturday and ended up drawing 2-2 with Toulouse at the Stade Louis II. The Principality club, top of Ligue 1, saw their cushion over Lille cut to a single point after a forgettable spell in the second half, during which Ansu Fati made his debut for the club but could not prevent the slip-up.

• Monaco led 2-0 at the break thanks to a goal and an assist from Edan Diop.
• A Casper Tengstedt penalty and a Sion Oppong finish pulled Toulouse level in the second half.
• Ansu Fati came on in the 75th minute after recovering from a calf issue suffered in pre-season.
• The Ligue 1 leaders hold just a one-point lead over Lille and a three-point edge over PSG.

How Monaco let a controlled 2-0 victory slip away

Filipe Luis' side produced a strong first half and punished Toulouse with two well-crafted moves. Just after the half-hour mark, Aleksandr Golovin whipped in a cross that Edan Diop headed past Guillaume Restes to open the scoring. Nine minutes later, Diop turned provider and set up Matthis Abline, who finished with a precise volley to make it 2-0 before the interval.

Everything pointed to a comfortable afternoon for Monaco, who were unbeaten in their previous six league matches and had only drawn once before this season, away at Strasbourg. But the script changed completely after the break, when a foul by Nazinho inside the box allowed Casper Tengstedt to pull one back from the penalty spot.

Toulouse punish the slip from the Ligue 1 leaders

The 2-1 scoreline lifted the visitors and planted doubt in a Monaco side that lost its composure and control of the match. On the hour mark, Sion Oppong made it 2-2 with a finish that rewarded Toulouse's persistence and left the game level shortly before the home coach turned to his bench.

The draw marks Monaco's second stumble of the league campaign and complicates a table that looked under control. With Lille beating Lyon 1-0 and Paris Saint-Germain easing past Le Mans 3-1, the pressure on the leaders has grown considerably.

Ansu Fati makes Monaco debut and comes close to a winning goal

In the 75th minute, Filipe Luis introduced Ansu Fati. The winger, formerly of Barcelona, played his first official minutes of the season after overcoming the calf muscle problem that he picked up in pre-season and that had delayed his return to full fitness.

The Spanish international had a clear opportunity to give Monaco all three points. He beat a defender on the left side of the box with a piece of skill and fired a shot, but his effort was blocked by the visiting defence. He could not celebrate a goal that would have rounded off his return and prevented a result that leaves the leaders with mixed feelings.

What this draw means in the race for Ligue 1

Monaco remain top of the table, but their cushion has been reduced to one point over second-placed Lille and three over PSG, who loom as the main threat after their comfortable win on the same matchday. Every mistake from the Principality club brings more tension to a title race in which the Parisians are always favourites.

The display of Edan Diop, decisive in the first half with his goal and assist, was the biggest positive on a night when Monaco paid dearly for their drop-off after the interval. The arrival of Ansu Fati, meanwhile, opens up an interesting option for the team's attack in the coming weeks.

Frequently asked questions about Ansu Fati's debut and Monaco's setback