Double blow for Lille! LOSC revived by beating Lens (1-0) and putting an end to the long series of invincibility of its great rival, Sunday in the 116th derby of the North, at the end of the 10th day of L1.
Struggling in the first period, the Mastiffs nevertheless scored just before half-time on a Jonathan David penalty before defending their advantage tooth and nail. The Canadian’s seventh goal of the season was enough for Lille to win in a crazy atmosphere after a committed match, during which northern goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier repelled a penalty from Florian Sotoca (15th).
The Lille, who had lost the three derbies last season against the Lensois, set the record straight and stopped their enemy who remained on 17 games without defeat in the league. They go back to seventh place with 16 units on the clock, five lengths from the Artésiens. The RCL, often dominating during the match, lacked sharpness offensively and conceded their first defeat of the season, missing the opportunity to get back on the podium (4th, 21 points).
A hero named Knight
In an atmosphere worthy of the Champions League, once is not customary in Lille, the match got off to a flying start with a lot of intensity, like this muscular intervention by Jimmy Cabot on Jonathan David who earned a warning to the Lensois piston from the fourth minute.
The Sang et Or quickly took control of operations and put the Lille defense in great difficulty. Logically, they got the first big chance by benefiting from a penalty for a foul by José Fonte, caught up in speed by Deiver Machado. But Chevalier, trained at the club and already adored by the supporters, further increased his popularity rating by repelling Sotoca’s attempt (15th).
The RCL, however, kept control and multiplied the crosses and corners, without managing to find the fault. The only situation was a strike from Loïs Openda, which blocked the goalkeeper of the Dogues (18th). Well pressed by the Artésiens, the Lille had a hard time approaching, except on a too crushed shot from David which did not worry Brice Samba (25th).
Indispensable David
The second duel between the two men turned to the advantage of the indispensable Canadian striker, who ignited the public by opening the scoring against the run of play on a penalty following a foul by Massadio Haïdara on Benjamin André (1- 0.44e).
When they returned from the locker room, Losc finally managed to impose their pressing to hinder Lens and were almost rewarded quickly, but Adam Ounas stumbled on Samba (47th), before offering a caviar to André Gomes, whose strike was country (55th). The Sang et Or ended up reacting thanks to their captain Seko Fofana, whose shot went just wide (60th), then Chevalier saved Lille again by removing from his skylight a superb strike from Alexis Claude-Maurice (70th ).
The Mastiffs, much more aggressive in the second half, had the opportunity again to widen the gap, but Samba was decisive twice in quick succession: he first stole the ball from David’s feet, before deflecting an attempt by André Gomes (72nd) for a corner. Lens threw all their forces into battle, but in vain, while Timothy Weah harvested a huge chance in added time (90th + 4). But that did not spoil the pleasure of the Lille supporters who were able to let their joy burst a few minutes later and commune with their players.