FC Sochaux-Montbéliard 0 - 1 LOSC Lille Métropole

The former Brest player's second-half strike helped LOSC move up to third in the standings while another defeat for Sochaux has alarm bells rining in eastern France. Mecha Bazdarevic's side have not won in 2012 (five matches) and they have managed just the one goal.

Bright start from Sochaux

These matches were initially slated for Week 22 but were postponed due to the freezing weather that hit France two weeks ago. It was the visitors who were almost caught cold in just the fourth minute and Lille needed goalkeeper Mickaël Landreau to be at his best to keep out Marvin Martin's free-kick.

Sochaux then nearly nicked the lead from the resultant corner but Martin fired over when the goal was at his mercy (5'). Martin, who had a lively first-half,  then turned provider to set up Edouard Butin but the ball just didn't drop for the striker and the hosts were unable to capitalise on what was a very encouraging start (30').

Lille's best chance fell to January signing Nolan Roux but the former Stade Brestois star, having shrugged off the attentions of goalkeeper Pierrick Cros, was denied by a last-ditch clearance from France under-21 international Mathieu-Philippe Peybernes  (35'). That was the last good chance of a first half in which Sochaux proved that they were a better team than their league position (20^th) would have suggested.

Cole & Maïga enter the fray

With it still goalless ten minutes into the second half, Lille coach Rudi Garcia tried to alter the tempo by bringing on English midfielder Joe Cole for Dmitri Payet (55'). Garcia's counterpart Bazdarevic responded by throwing on Mali striker Modibo Maïga who had only returned to France on Tuesday after a bout of malaria delayed his departure from the recently completed African Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea (56').

It was Cole, though, who made the first telling intervention by releasing Roux who in turn sent Benoît Pedretti clear but the former France international, who had scored in the 2-2 draw with Sochaux in Week 6, was unable to repeat the feat (75').

Roux to the rescue

The game was now swinging Lille's way and just one minute later Les Dogues had the lead their second half performance deserved. It came from a corner and Roux showed why Rudi Garcia rated him so highly by shaking off his marker, the magnificently named Yaya Banana, to send his header beyond Cros for 1-0 (76').

Lille then did enough to close out the game and secure a second consecutive 1-0 win away from home to move to within five and six points of second placed Montpellier and leader PSG respectively.

Sochaux will need to pick themselves up for Sunday's clash against Toulouse FC while Lille are on the road once again, as they head to Brittany to take on Stade Rennais.

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