There was little indication of the result to come early on, when the visitors began encouragingly in the south of France, as Kevin Gameiro forced MHSC goalkeeper Jonas Omlin into making an instinctive save to keep the scoreline level after only five minutes. But after netting their second-highest goals tally at this point of a Ligue 1 season in 51 years, Montpellier were quick to respond, going fractions away from their opener when Jean-Eudes Aholou’s header inadvertently came back off his post.
It sparked new life into Le MHSC, and Olivier Dall'Oglio’s side were not to be denied for much longer when an unmarked Arnaud Nordin majestically rose off to head Téji Savanier’s corner past Matz Sels in the 17th minute. Occupying the Ligue 1 relegation positions after only five points this season, Strasbourg were given a reprieve on the stroke of HT when VAR intervened to instruct referee Jérémy Stinat to overturn his initial decision, and disallow Nordin’s second goal of the afternoon for an offside in the build-up.
Looking to immediately bounce back at the first time of asking after suffering a defeat to struggling Angers SCO, Montpellier continued where they left off at the end of the first half, as Sels instinctively reacted to redirect Elye Wahi’s intended pass across the penalty area to safety. Having seen enough, Strasbourg boss Julien Stéphan introduced Nordine Kandil and Ibrahima Sissoko to change his side’s fortunes in front of goal.
With Montpellier comfortably on course to register their first victory in three matches, Diallo apparently spoiled the La Paillade party four minutes from time, brilliantly firing into the bottom left-hand corner past the desperate outstretched dive of Omlin. However, in the dying embers of the contest, Montpellier restored their advantage when Savanier fired a 95th-minute penalty past a distraught Sels from 12 yards, after Jean-Ricner Bellegarde had committed a clumsy foul.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Arnaud Nordin (Montpellier Hérault SC)
