STRASBOURG’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HOPES SPOILT, AS CELIK’S LATE GOAL GIVES HOST WIN.
LOSC Lille registered their first victory in five league matches, defeating RC Strasbourg Alsace 1-0 at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, to move closer to the intensely-competitive Ligue 1 European qualification positions, and jeopardise Strasbourg’s chances of a first appearance among Europe’s elite in 42 years.
Hoping to bring a promising end to a highly-disappointing campaign, with Paris Saint-Germain finally putting ‘Los Dogues’ out of their misery, after winning their 10th Ligue 1 title on Saturday, the hosts enjoyed a marginal upper hand in the opening attacking exchanges in Northern France, as the returning Burak Yılmaz tested Maz Sels at his near post.
Looking to keep tabs on their UCL qualification adversaries, with AS Monaco and Stade Rennais already victorious this weekend, Strasbourg had to wait until the 27th minute for their first shot on target, when Léo Jardim was called upon to make a routine stop from Adrien Thomasson. Despite an unparalleled plethora of possession in the Lille final-third towards the conclusion of the first half, Strasbourg begrudgingly made their way down the tunnel for HT, with the scoreline evenly poised for an intriguing second 45 minutes.
The visitors were inches away from taking the lead four minutes into the second half, when Kevin Gameiro’s glancing header rebounded off the right-hand post. With neither side able to find a decisive breakthrough, both managers turned to their respective substitute benches, with Angel Gomes coming on for the hosts approaching the hour-mark. Lille were left indebted to Jardim’s instincts as the match entered into the final 15 minutes, when he produced a sublime one-handed save to deny Thomasson.
With the contest heading towards a point apiece, Zeki Çelik gave Lille’s outside chances of a fourth successive European campaign next season a momentous boost, inconspicuously arriving at the back-post to slot past a frustrated Sels. Lille valiantly held on to register only their second victory at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in their last seven matches. Meanwhile, Strasbourg remain three points outside of the UCL qualification positions with four matches to play.
