Caen needed a late goal to secure a 1-1 draw with AS Monaco in Ligue 1 this evening, keeping the visiting side second in the table.
The visitors looked for an early goal in the clash at Stade Louis II as Ronny Rodelin tried to head to ball in from close range after an attack inside the opening two minutes, but Danijel Subasic kept it out.
Monaco started to create more down the other end as the first half progressed, but Fabio Coentrao and Bernando Silva both saw their crosses cleared, while Remy Vercoutre denied Fabinho as he tried to drive the ball in from the edge of the box for the home side.
Both sides came close to opening the scoring as half time approached, but Mario Pasalic's effort was just high of the crossbar for Monaco, while Vincent Bessat saw his shot saved moments later.
The hosts dominated the start of the second half, as Pasalic put through-balls in for Wallace and Stephan El Shaarawy, but the first was offside, while the latter's finish was saved.
Monaco broke the deadlock just over 10 minutes after the restart, though, as Almamy Toure crossed the ball in from a corner, leaving Guido Carrillo to head into the top left corner.
Bessat tried to get Caen back on level terms just a couple of minutes later, but his left-footed strike was high and wide, wasting a promising cross from Andy Delort.
Helder Costa had a chance to double Monaco's advantage with just 15 minutes remaining, unleashing a powerful strike from 25 yards out after Silva cleared a free kick down the other end, but his thumping effort was denied by a save.
The hosts continued to push for a second as the match headed into the final 10 minutes, looking to put the win beyond doubt, but Coentrao was offside while trying to get on the end of another ball forward from Silva.
The missed opportunities proved costly as Silva gave away a free kick inside the final five minutes, allowing Syam Ben Yousseff to head the ball on for Rodelin to tap in at the far post.
The result leaves Caen 13 points behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain, while Monaco, who record just their second home loss of the campaign, sit seventh.
Sian Cowper
