Monaco's Croatian coach Niko Kovac (C) talks to his players during a break during the French L1 football match between AS Monaco and Stade de Reims at The "Louis II Stadium" in Monaco on August 23, 2020. / AFP / Valery HACHE
Former Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovač's first game in charge of Monaco saw his new side rally from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Reims on Sunday.
Kovač was fired by Bayern last November despite leading the German giant - which faced Paris Saint-Germain later Sunday in the Champions League final - to a league and cup double in his first season.
But they parted ways following a humbling 5-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt and he may have been fearing a similar result after Monaco leaked two goals inside the first 21 minutes.
Reims striker Boulaye Dia put the visitors ahead after five minutes at Stade Louis II. Then things got even worse when forward El Bilal Touré dribbled to the edge of the area and beat goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte with a fine shot.
Defender Axel Disasi pulled a goal back against his former club in first-half stoppage time, and fellow center half Benoît Badiashile equalized in the 55th from Russia midfielder Aleksandr Golovin's freekick.
Monaco dominated possession thereafter but could not find a winner.
Later Sunday, Nice hosted Lens and it was Lorient vs. Strasbourg and Nimes vs. Brest.
Lens and Lorient were promoted last season.
