The game started in end-to-end fashion with both outfits looking to extend their perfect start to the season, but early chances were at a premium.
Takumi Minamino was the first to threaten with a speculative effort that bounced wide, while Lens looked dangerous going forward but lacked quality in the final third.
The visitor’s lack of potency was summed up on the half-hour mark with an astonishing sequence. Adrien Thomasson found space in the box and his angled drive cannoned off the post and back towards him, allowing the midfielder to pick out Wesley Said unmarked in the six-yard area, but somehow, the winger diverted the ball against the woodwork once more before it bounced to safety.
Lens started the second half with more energy and had a huge claim for a penalty when the ball struck the arm of Christian Mawissa, but the referee waved play on.
The hosts then had a clear sight of goal as Maghnes Akliouche found himself in space with a central position, but he took too long to pull the trigger, allowing Jhoanner Chavez to hustle across the box to make the block.
With 20 minutes to go, the visitors had another golden chance to take the lead as Florian Sotoca raced clear on goal, however, Philipp Kohn denied the veteran striker from a tight angle.
Going into the final minutes, it was Will Still’s side who pushed hardest for the winner, and they thought they had found the breakthrough in the 79th minute, only for a VAR review to show Remy Labeau Lascary handling the ball in the build-up.
That moment appeared to be pivotal when Monaco immediately went up the other end and looked like they had won the game when Denis Zakaria thundered home Caio Henrique’s corner with a bullet header.
The visitors never gave up, however, and this time a VAR intervention went their way as a stoppage-time penalty was awarded and Frankowski kept his cool to find the net and earn his side a point.
The draw leaves both sides sitting on seven points after winning their opening two games of the Ligue 1 season prior to this, but they’ll need to show more consistency in the final third to challenge Paris Saint-Germain for the title.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Denis Zakaria (Monaco)
