Pierre-Mauroy’s bronca at the final whistle
Drawn without much taste between Lille and Saint-Etienne, ineffective at Pierre-Mauroy (0-0). Bloodier than their opponents, the Mastiffs failed to bite despite the pole found by Zeki Celik in the first act (41st). Sixth for now, LOSC missed the chance to enter the top 5 before hosting Chelsea in the Champions League, losing to Renato Sanches through injury. The Greens (16th) take a good run in their quest to stay on the lawn of the champions of France.
Will the Greens hold out?
Sainté has a pattern on the right corner in these final moments. The ball is well towards the pack, but it is a Lille player who is on the run to clear the danger.
We went in extra time
At least three additional minutes.
Zhegrova interesting since entry
Good entry from Zhegrova, who dares a lot to her right and tries to bring the energy that her partners lack. His shot from the left is caught on rebound by Bernardoni.
Double substitution for Sainté
Aouchiche and Moueffek come in for the last minutes of this match, Bouanga and Gourna recapture the bench.
Punishment for Lille?
Allen Pierre-Mauroy claims a penalty while Yilmaz is countered in the penalty area when it’s time to strike. Nadé’s intervention seems very legitimate.
Stands
Saint-Etienne took 13 points in their last 6 Ligue 1 matches (4 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss), which is already more than in their first 21 encounters this season (12 points – 2 wins, 6 draws, 13 losses ).
Moukoudi wiped his crampons well
Clumsy gesture by Moukoudi, who puts a dirty sole to Onana in midfield. The yellow card makes sense.
Gourvennec tries one last shot
New replacement in this part, Lille side this time. Weah comes in for Gudmundsson to try and revive the left side.
Khazri should do better
Khazri’s right shot is far too soft to alarm Jardim, who calmly picks up after the rebound. Lille moves forward and pushes at the beginning of the last fifteen minutes.
The essential intervention of Nadé! (0-0)
It was hot for the Greens on this fast pass by Onana from the central circle. Saint-Etienne’s line has been broken over full axis and Yilmaz is in a duel with Nadé in the race. The defender of the Greens wins and prevents the attacker from appearing alone against Bernardoni.
Stands
Lille are unbeaten in their last 20 home games against Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 (13 wins, 7 draws), their last loss being on September 18, 1993 (0-2). This is the longest undefeated run to date for LOSC at home in L1 against the same team.
Substitution for Saint Etienne
New change in the offensive sector of Saint-Etienne, Sako replaces Boudebouz. The latter died out a bit in the second act.
The Greens still so little dangerous
Camara tries a shot from outside the area, but his attempt flies off. Most of Saint-Etienne’s shots so far have been of little concern to Jardim. Only Boudebouz caused some tension at the end of the first period.
Box for Botman
Meanwhile, Botman took the first yellow card of the game.
Light tactical adjustment
If Lille didn’t change their system with the entry of Yilmaz and Zhegrova, it is now Bamba who supports the first city in the Axis. The second took the right side.
Training time
A change on the part of Stéphane, with Khazri replacing Nordin in the offensive sector. We respond to two substitutes in Lille, with the exits of David and Ben Arfa, assisted by Yilmaz and Zhegrova.
To show in football schools
What a recovery gesture from Gourna, who crushes a two-man attack on a Lille player at the cost of a flawless slide into Gudmundsson’s feet, down the sideline.
Lille increasingly threatening
Supported by a rowdy Pierre-Mauroy, the reigning French champions come dangerously closer to Bernardoni’s surface. They only lack efficiency in the last gesture.
Stéphane’s reaction lacks precision
Nordin sends a shot into the air from Lille, but nicely found to the surface by Thioub. Perhaps he was ashamed of Fonte’s authoritarian return.
Huge situation for Onana!! (0-0)
The Mastiffs provoke a bloody counterattack after an attack by Saint-Etienne. Gudmundsson is pushed to the left and crosses at the end of the race. Onana is clear of any markings a few yards from the target but crosses his head too much causing him to miss!!
It’s back to Pierre-Mauroy! (0-0)
No change to the break, we leave with the same.
It’s break at Pierre-Mauroy! (0-0)
Timid for the first period in Lille, at halftime kept in respect by Saint-Etienne (0-0). We had little to eat until the last ten minutes, where Zeki Celik striking the post (41st). Note the big blow to the Mastiffs and the injury that left Renato Sanches five days before he hosted Chelsea in the Champions League.
Nordin narrowly taken over by Celik
Superb return from Celik, who returns with extreme speed to Nordin, who was found in the back of the defence. The flank returned to his side to get ahead of the attacker before he could enter the penalty area.
We are in extra time
The end of the period is more lively and the players find more solutions in the offensive sector. Two extra minutes are announced by the fourth referee.
Lille pushes hard
Dangerous again, Bamba uses the spaces on the right to put pressure on Nadé. The Lille player steps forward on his right foot and fires a powerful shot that goes several yards higher.
The mail for Lille!! (0-0)
The Mastiffs thought they had found the flaw! Launched deep to the right, Bamba eliminates Nadé and crosses back. The ball changes direction and takes advantage behind Celik, who can arm a few yards from the goal, but crush the post!!
The Garden Parade! (0-0)
Finally a hot situation in this meeting, coming from Boudebouz’s left foot! The Saint-Etienne skein hits towards the near post, where Jardim relaxes well to deflect the ball with the tip of the glove!
David too inaccurate
Lille had a pattern, but David, who was able to bring in the excess by launching Ben Arfa to the left, did so at the wrong time. The Mastiffs lose the ball.
Stands
Lille are unbeaten in their last 6 Ligue 1 matches against Saint-Etienne (3 wins followed by 3 draws), their last defeat being on 19 May 2018 at Geoffroy-Guichard (0-5).
No punishment for Sainté
Nordin launches a solo action to the left and rushes to the surface a little headlong. He collapses under the threat of Celik, but the referee sees that the contact is extremely light.
Status quo of half an hour
Still not a great chance in this encounter, as we are approaching half an hour of play. The debates are balanced, but no team manages to really destabilize the opposing team’s defence.
Camara test Jardim
Lille has been a bit drowsy since replacing Renato Sanches. The Greens don’t hesitate to project themselves quickly, resulting in Camara’s attempt from the entrance to the surface. Jardim is well.
Renato Sanches out due to injury
The tile is confirmed for Lille: five days from Chelsea, Renato Sanches injured the back of his left thigh. He is replaced by Onana.
Renato Sanches got injured
Big blow to the Mastiffs, the Portuguese was injured in the action and remains on the ground. He demands immediate change.
Renato Sanches has the first chance
Gudmundsson sets fire to the left and takes advantage of a favorable counter. Lille’s left midfielder enters the area and strikes. His blocked shot returns to Renato Sanches, who resumes with a half volley above.
Ben Arfa too deep
The pressing of the Stéphanois is interesting and allows them to recover a large number of balloons. Lille waits for the slightest loss of the ball to accelerate, as here with Ben Arfa who searches David thoroughly. It’s too strong.
Stéphanois more comfortable
Saint-Etienne has gained confidence since a few minutes and lets the ball pass better. The ground of Jardim is still far, but there is better use of the ball.
Sainté passes on the left
The Greens find a space to the left with Nordin going to challenge Xeka with the ball. The Lille midfielder plays the shot well and jumps up at the right moment.
The Greens not up to speed yet
Sainté struggled to get his foot on the ball from the start. His first maintenance leads to loss of possession on the left. The Lille are well placed opposite.
Cast surprised by the trajectory
First turn for the Mastiffs on the left. Bamba finds Fonte’s header in the penalty area, but the defender is surprised by the ball that goes past everyone. He cannot adapt.
Bouanga in pain
The game got off to a slow start, Bouanga stays on the ground for a long time, being cared for by the healers. He eventually manages to limp to his feet, while Xeka is reprimanded by the referee.
Xeka already at the limit
Lille takes matters in hand at the start of the meeting. But a little unnecessarily in the center circle, Xeka tackles Bouanga’s legs in a very dangerous way, taking everything. The Portuguese escapes from the penalty area.
Let’s go to Pierre-Mauroy! (0-0)
It was Lille who started on this 28th day of Ligue 1!
Kick-off is near!
The actors enter Pierre-Mauroy’s lawn, accompanied by the meeting’s referee, Florent Batta.
The maintenance operation continues for the Greens
Relaunched by Pascal Dupraz and the contribution of his many recruits to the winter transfer window, Saint-Etienne finally emerged from the red zone, being the first non-degradable. In fact, with Nantes, the Greens are the best team in L1 over the past six days (4 wins and 13 points scored). Unthinkable a few months ago.
Stands
Lille remains in two Ligue 1 rankings (1-0 in Lyon and then 4-0 against Clermont) and could make the pass of three in the elite (3) for the first time since September-October last year.
Why André is forfeited
Benjamin André is not on the score sheet. It turns out that the midfielder is ill and in a flu-like condition.
JBo
Chelsea necessarily in the heads
LOSC, just five points away from the podium and OM, is hoping to maintain its momentum in the championship. Because next Wednesday European champions Chelsea will return from the Champions League for a perilous round of 16 after the frustrating result of the first leg (2-0 defeat).
Sainté’s eleven, in 3-4-1-2
Bernardoni – Sacko, Moukoudi, Nade – Thioub, Camara, Gourna, Kolodziejczak – Boudebouz – Bouanga, Nordin.
Eliaquim Mangala has been suspended and makes way for Harold Moukoudi in the three-man defence. Wahbi Khazri starts as a substitute, Arnaud Nordin was preferred next to Denis Bouanga. Joris Gnagnon, Yvan Neyou, Yvann Maçon, Saidou Sow, Romain Hamouma and Enzo Crivelli are still missing.
The composition of LOSC, in 4-4-2
Jardim – Celik, Fonte, Botman, Djalo – Bamba, Sanches, Xeka, Gudmundsson – David, Ben Arfa.
Jocelyn Gourvennec has a full group. Expected holders, Benjamin André and Burak Yilmaz start on the bench. Hatem Ben Arfa joins Jonathan David in the attack.
LOSC still in the race for Europe
Lille has made strong progress in recent weeks, with three wins in their last four races, putting them back in the race for Europe. It bodes well for the receiving of the Greens, who are also more consistent, having found their way back to success against Metz (1-0) this past weekend. The Forez club is one point ahead of the relegation zone.
Welcome to RMC Sports!
Take your seat to follow the match between LOSC (7th, 42 points) and AS Saint-Etienne (17th, 25 points) at the start of the 28th match day of Ligue 1, with live commentary. Kick-off is scheduled for 9pm!