Lille snatch victory from Lyon, and remain in control in front of PSG and Monaco

A huge blow of the club! Lille hit hard, very hard, Sunday April 25 evening, closing the 34^e Ligue 1 day, by going to win in Lyon (3-2) thanks to a double from his Turkish striker, Burak Yilmaz.

This astounding success allows Lille to recover first place – temporarily ceded, for a day, after the victory, Saturday, of Paris-Saint-Germain in Metz -, to sweep away the dreams of the Lyonnais who remain fourth, and keep Monaco at a distance, winner at Angers in the afternoon.

A champion’s victory

Things had however ideally started for OL with the opening of the scoring in the 20^e minute of Algerian Islam Slimani after a back pass from Maxence Caqueret. Then, Lille defender José Fonte scored against his camp upon receiving a poorly negotiated free kick in his aerial exit by goalkeeper Mike Maignan (35^e, 2-0).

But as usual since the start of 2021, Lyon did not go the distance for the entire meeting. The Turkish Burak Yilmaz reduced the gap just before half-time by transforming a magnificent free kick (45 + 1, 2-1).

Yilmaz (35) was the catalyst for LOSC. It was he who gave the victory to his team at the end of the game by beating Anthony Lopes closely following a long clearance deviated from the head by Yusuf Yazici (85^e, 2-3). Previously, the Lille had equalized on the hour mark thanks to Yilmaz, again him, decisive passer, after an error of Paquetà, for Jonathan David who did not miss the opportunity at close range (60^e, 2-2).

The regrets of Lyon

Olympique Lyonnais was able to regret a fine action from Memphis Depay who was very close to bringing the score to 3-1 after a cross from Karl Toko Ekambi a few minutes earlier (53^e). But the equalizer was deserved as Lille put pressure on the Rhone after half-time.

They could have already taken the advantage without the interventions of Anthony Lopes against David (71^e) and Luiz Araujo (77^e) while the goalkeeper of OL was also present on a recovery of the head of Benjamin André at the reception of a center from the left (59^e).

For OL, after Lille’s second goal, only Thiago Mendes managed to call on Maignan on a good long shot, but the Northerners’ victory is well deserved. The Lyonnais are the big losers of this day at the end of which only the first three remain in the race for the title. Fourth, they find themselves six points behind LOSC but also four lengths behind Monaco and the third step of the podium. They are thus on a very unfavorable waiver in the race for qualification for the Champions League that they were aiming for at the start of the season.

With this success with forceps, the Losc keeps its fate in hand four days from the end of the championship. “We know that our strength is collective. We’re going to celebrate, then focus for the next game. These are victories which prove to us that we can go to the end ”, explained the Lille striker.

It remains at Losc to face Nice, Lens, Saint-Etienne and Angers to hope to win an improbable fourth title of champion of France. With a point ahead of PSG also mobilized in the Champions League and the Coupe de France, the dream is within reach …

Monaco remains a serious candidate

But the danger for Lille is also called Monaco, in ambush two points behind them. With a little less spectacle than usual, but still impressive efficiency, ASM won on Sunday afternoon, in Angers (1-0), its fourteenth success in seventeen league matches since January.

Far from their insolent success in recent months, the Monegasques – without Sofiane Diop, injured in an ankle, and five players positive for Covid-19 – have long stumbled on a well-established Angevin defense, and especially on a Paul Bernardoni in great shape in the goals.

This victory, the Monegasques owe it to their captain Wissam Ben Yedder. The striker of the Blues and the ASM, replacing at the kickoff at the Raymond Kopa stadium but quickly coming into play after the injury of Stevan Jovetic, signed his sixth goal of the month of April in all competitions, with a flick millimeter at the end of the match, after a sharp call for the ball (80^e, 1-0).

With 71 points, Monaco remains in third position, in the wake of Lille and PSG before receiving Lyon on the next day, with the opportunity to take a big step towards a qualification for the Champions League … hoping for better.

“We can get 3rd, 2nd, maybe more. Everything is open (…). Nobody expected Monaco there. It is thanks to the work of the players on the field. So let’s dream! “, Croatian coach Nico Kovac said.

The Monegasques can even dream of an incredible double since they remain in the race in the Coupe de France. The draw for the semi-finals, carried out on Sunday, reserved a trip to Le Petit Poucet, Rumilly-Vallières, National 2 club, the 4^e division. The other semi-final, which should also be played on May 12, will pit Montpellier against Paris-Saint-Germain.