GRENOBLE, France (Interstat) — Grenoble Foot 38 and Montpellier opened their Ligue 2 campaigns with a 1-1 draw on Saturday at Stade des Alpes, a result that saw the visiting side squander a late lead against the newly promoted hosts.

The match, a rare early-season meeting between a recent top-flight side and a club fresh from Ligue 1 promotion, played out largely as a tactical stalemate until the final half-hour. Montpellier, which entered the contest with a significant 65.3 percent probability to win according to Interstat’s ELO ratings, controlled long stretches of possession but struggled to break down a disciplined Grenoble defense.

The breakthrough finally came from Montpellier’s bench. Substitute Téji Savanier, a veteran midfielder, broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute with a well-taken finish. The goal seemed to set Montpellier on course for a victory that the statistical models had favored.

Grenoble, however, found an answer through its own key substitution. Just nine minutes after falling behind, the home side leveled the score. Forward Nesta Elphege delivered the equalizer in the 81st minute, finishing off a play assisted by fellow substitute Théo Chennahi. The assist was Chennahi’s primary contribution before his involvement took a negative turn; he received a yellow card just five minutes after helping create the goal, in the 86th minute.

The final minutes saw both teams push for a winner, but neither could find a decisive second goal. The 1-1 final score matched the exact projection from Interstat’s game simulator, though the path to that result defied the pre-match odds favoring a Montpellier victory.

With the draw, both clubs begin their 2025-26 Ligue 2 seasons with identical records of zero wins, zero losses and one draw. Their overall records across all competitions also stand at 0-0-1. For Montpellier, recently relegated from Ligue 1, the result represents a missed opportunity to start with a victory against a promoted opponent. For Grenoble Foot 38, the comeback draw provides a solid foundation and a valuable point as they readjust to the second division.

The match was the first of the season for both sides in French football’s second tier.