Guglielmo Vicario was the hero as we scrapped it out for a point as it ended goalless against AS Monaco in MD3 of the UEFA Champions League at Stade Louis II on Wednesday night.
The goalkeeper produced a string of saves - three right out of the top drawer - to keep the home side at bay. Indeed, eight of Monaco's 23 efforts were on target and Vicario saved them all to maintain our unbeaten record in the league phase of the competition.
The highlights were a tip around the post to deny Folarin Balogun in the first half and a point-blank block to keep out Jordan Teze's header in the second half.
Having soaked up all that pressure, we had the chance to snatch all three points in the final minute as Pape Matar Sarr broke away and squared for Brennan Johnson, who didn't get hold of his effort.
Instead, the scoreline represents our first goalless draw in 125 matches in all competitions - the last at home to Milan in the UCL Round of 16, second leg back in March, 2023.
Thomas Frank made three changes to the team that started against Villa on Sunday as Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Richarlison came in for Djed Spence, Xavi Simons and the ineligible Mathys Tel. Micky van de Ven retained the captain's armband in the absence of Cristian Romero. Folarin Balogun replaced Mika Biereth up front in Monaco's only change.
The home side created the better chances in the first half but came up against Vicario in inspired form - fine saves to twice deny Balogun, the first was good, a one-on-one block in front of goal after 28 minutes, the second was better, quickly down to his left to tip around the post from close range eight minutes. Gray also blocked from Magnhnes Akliouche and Ansu Fati appeared caught between a shot and cross after breaking into the box from the left.
At the other end, Wilson Odobert and Mo Kudus probed away down both flanks and our best chances came from crosses. Van de Ven flew into the near post to meet Odobert's cross, but could keep his header on target and it was the same outcome when Kevin Danso climbed well to meet Kudus' cross just before half-time.
The pattern continued in the second half as the Ligue 1 side stepped up a gear. Vicario's first save of note of the half arrived on 67 minutes, turning away Aleksandr Golovin's curler. Thilo Kehrer then headed inches wide, arguably the best chance of the game.
Vicario's best save arrived on 74 minutes when he made himself big to make a reaction block from Teze's point-blank header. Takumi Minamino, the former Liverpool midfielder, arrived off the bench and had three chances of varying difficulty in as many minutes - failing to hit the target with all three.
Into the final minutes, Akliouche was just wide from distance and then the chance we'd waited for. Randal Kolo Muani sent Pape Matar Sarr away down the left, he rolled into Johnson, who somewhat scuffed his effort from 12 yards.