Oguchi Onyewu and Standard Liège saw their league lead shaved to three points after conceding an 87th minute leveler at Mons on Sunday night.

The US defender went his typical 90 minutes in the heart of defense for the Jupiler League pacesetters.

Two minutes in, Christian Landu Tubi beat Onyewu, but couldn't put a Frédéric Jay cross on goal. The hosts went close again after another two minutes, with Standard keeper Rorys Aragon Espinoza turning away Adriano Duarte's firm header and Roberto Mirri nudging the rebound wide.

Espinoza then had to make stops on Hocine Ragued and Benjamin Nicaise before his teammates could grab their share of the play. The first big chance for the guests came seven minutes before the break when Axel Witsel put a Salim Toama restart on frame, only to see it cleared from the line.

Four minutes later, Witsel slipped Igor De Camargo in alone, but the forward could not beat Mons netminder Cédric Berthelin.

De Camargo would make good on his next opportunity in the 48th minute. Witsel flicked on a Dante Bonfim Costa cross for the Brazilian to slot home.

Standard goal monster Milan Jovanovic made his injury return in the 62nd minute, but it was Mons who would have the next prime chance 10 minutes later. Substitute François Zoko worked into the area for a shot that beat Espinoza, but Marcos Camozzato was in the right place to clear his keeper's line at the last moment.

Wilfried Dalmat struck the post with a Mons free kick in the 82nd minute, but the hosts would claim their deserved equalizer three minutes on when Zoko buried a near post header from Mohammed Fadel Brahami cross.

Standard will now return home to face Mechelen on Saturday.

Scoring
SL - Igor De Camargo 4 (Axel Witsel) 48'
MONS - François Zoko 2 (Mohammed Fadel Brahami) 87'

Line-ups
MONS - Cédric Berthelin, Adriano Duarte, Frédéric Jay, Roberto Mirri, Daré Nibombe, Alessandro Cordaro, Wilfried Dalmat, Benjamin Nicaise (Michaël Wiggers 85'), Hocine Ragued, Christian Landu Tubi (François Zoko 58'), Cedric Roussel (Mohammed Fadel Brahami 75')

SL - Rorys Aragon Espinoza; Marcos Camozzato, Oguchi Onyewu, Mohamed Sarr, Dante Bonfim Costa, Marouane Fellaini, Steven Defour, Salim Toama (Grégory Dufer 72'), Axel Witsel, Igor De Camargo, Dieumerci Mbokani (Milan Jovanovic 62')

ON THE SIDELINE
Greg Dalby did not dress for Charleroi's 1-0 loss at Lokeren on Saturday.