KOLOSSI, Cyprus :Pafos left it late but an own goal salvaged a 2-2 draw at home to AS Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday, with the hosts twice coming from behind to deny the visitors back-to-back away wins in the competition.
Monaco, who claimed their first win of this season’s competition at Bodo/Glimt last time out, are level on six points with Pafos in the league phase standings. Both teams have won only one of their five games to date.
The visitors piled forward from the off, with Maghnes Akliouche forcing the keeper into an early save and they took the lead in the fifth minute when Akliouche threaded a pass to Takumi Minamino who found the net from outside the six-yard area.
Pafos sprang to life, Anderson Silva’s speculative looping effort from outside the area came off the crossbar before they found an 18th minute equaliser with David Luiz’s emphatic header from close to the penalty spot from a corner kick.
A poor pass out from the Pafos keeper was pounced on by Folarin Balogun who took a touch before rifling home to put Monaco back in front eight minutes later and the Ligue 1 side went in ahead at the break after a pulsating first half.
The second period failed to provide the same excitement and just when it looked like Monaco would take all three points, Ivan Sunjic’s header came back off the crossbar but rebounded to the net off defender Mohammed Salisu two minutes from time.
