AS Monaco 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur result – Inspired Guglielmo Vicario saves lacklustre Spurs in UEFA Champions League

Tottenham Hotspur escaped Monaco with a point after a tough night in the UEFA Champions League.

Thomas Frank’s visitors arrived in the principality with four points from their first two games in the league phase, but were second best for much of the evening against a talented young Monaco side.

Guglielmo Vicario kept the scores level going in at the break with a string of excellent first-half stops, with one particular save to deny ex-Arsenal youngster Folarin Balogun being the pick of the bunch.

But Monaco’s dominance of the game became even more complete after the break, with Vicario again called into action on a number of occasions as Monaco failed to make their control count on the scoreboard, as chance after chance went begging for the Ligue 1 outfit.

The traveling Spurs fans did not look impressed by a showing that was both defensively vulnerable and disjointed in attack, but Frank and his players will take solace from the point gained. Tottenham head into matchday four as the only team on five points, in 15th place in the table, right in the middle of the play-off qualification spots as things stand.

The Spurs stopper is unsurprisingly named the player of the match for his string of saves, and has been speaking in his post-game interview about the disappointment of a performance from his team that allowed Monaco 23 attempts on goal:

"It was not the best performance from us, so a lot to work with, a lot to learn from this game. The level in the Champions League is very high, so if you miss some basics it’s tough to compete against every team.

"From this game, we have to learn because we need to do better, we have the capability to be better, we can not lack in basics in effort in running in this kind of stuff."

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Tottenham are very fortunate to leave Monaco with a point to show for a hugely disappointing performance, and they have their goalkeeper to thank for this result.

Guglielmo Vicario was outstanding throughout for Spurs, making eight saves in all, some of them absolutely top-drawer efforts, to keep an impressive Monaco attack at bay.

This result means that Spurs remain unbeaten after three Champions League matches, but they’ve been massively outplayed in both of their last two away matches (here and at Bodø/Glimt) and have a lot of work to do if they are to pull out of this current malaise.

Spurs have the ball in the final third but don’t get the cross in and, fittingly, that’s the last of the action as the final whistle goes. Both teams react with frustration. The points are shared.

Spurs counter through Gray, who has been good in midfield since moving there, but neither he nor Xavi pulls the trigger when well-placed and Monaco eventually clear. That was frustrating to watch, but a clear example of a group of players who are just not used to playing together yet.

Akliouche dithers on the ball in the final third and he is muscled off it by Sarr. Monaco are furious, they think that was a foul, but the ref waves play on.

There will be six minutes added on, and stoppage time begins with another Danso long throw into the box that Monaco clear, unconvincingly it has to be said.

Seconds after an Akliouche shot flies wide at one end, Spurs open up Monaco on the break at the other. Sarr picks out the cross for Johnson, who is in the position that he relishes, but his shot lacks conviction and flies into the solitary covering defender. The Wales international's eyes lit up there, but on this occasion it was his finish that was lacking.

Another monster throw from Danso has Monaco in trouble, but it won’t quite fall for Tottenham and the ball is scrambled clear. It would be a real smash-and-grab if Spurs somehow leave here with all three points. They’ve been battered in this second half.

It’s Minamino yet again, who is picking up some brilliant positions, but has been awful with his final efforts. A clipped cross into the box deflects to the former Liverpool man, and he fails to keep his effort down, sending the ball fizzing over the bar. The reaction of him and his teammates shows how good a chance that was. It remains 0-0, somehow.

How on earth have Monaco not scored tonight?! Spurs are cut open again and a square ball in the box finds Minamino, who should score but slices his shot wide.

Frank is concerned about how Spurs are being torn apart here and on comes Spence to try and add some extra defensive stability. He replaces the clearly exhausted Kudus. A reshuffle sees Gray moved into midfield where Spurs have been looking a little short, with Xavi heading to the left and Johnson switching to the right flank. Will that tweak see them improve for the final ten minutes?

Monaco play the move of the match, cutting Spurs apart with a beautiful flowing attack. The final touch comes from Minamino, on the stretch, and he puts his shot over the bar.

Kehrer fell pretty awkwardly on his neck after tumbling over Xavi in the process of winning a header, and there’s a stoppage while he receives the correct medical tests.

That is the best of the lot. Monaco rip Spurs open and it’s a point-blank header for Teze… but Vicario makes a sensational reaction save and Tottenham survive once again.

Spurs counter-attack and numbers pour forward, but there’s no cohesion at all between the forward players and the move fizzles out just inside the Monaco half.

Minamino makes a great run and wins another corner for Monaco, with Danso coming across and stopping the cross. Spurs are sitting deeper and deeper. Will they be punished?

Porro makes a good block to put the ball behind for another corner, which yields nothing for the hosts. But it’s very much Monaco who are the better side at the moment.

Johnson and Kolo Muani come on for Spurs, replacing Richarlison and Odobert in straight swaps.

Outtara and Fati are also withdrawn by Monaco, with Mawissa and ex-Liverpool man Minamino coming on.