ESTAC Troyes took a huge step towards securing top-flight survival by winning 3-0 against a LOSC Lille side who finished Sunday’s game at the Stade de l’Aube down to nine men. All the goals came from the penalty spot.
ESTAC Troyes 3-0 LOSC Lille
THE MATCH
Troyes kicked off just two points clear of AS Saint-Etienne in the relegation play-off place and so knew a victory here would see them extend that gap to five points. They had taken just a single point from their previous four outings but perhaps a Lille side all but out of European contention were the perfect opponents.
The hosts got their noses in front just before half-time when Florian Tardieu converted a penalty awarded for a foul by Edon Zhegrova on Tristan Dingomé. Lille’s hopes of getting back into the game were then seriously damaged when Renato Sanches was sent off five minutes into the second half, seeing a second yellow card for dissent.
With the extra man Troyes won another penalty when Ike Ugbo was fouled by Sven Botman in the box, and it was the Canadian international Ugbo who stepped up to convert the home side’s second spot-kick of the afternoon.
Sanches and Yilmaz off
Renaud Ripart then struck the post for Troyes as things went from bad to worse for Lille when Burak Yilmaz was shown a red card midway through the second half for a tackle from behind on Tardieu.
Troyes then won their third penalty when Benjamin André fouled Yasser Larouci in the area, with Tardieu again stepping up to score his second spot-kick of the day and seal a famous win.
Bruno Irles’ side now have that five-point lead over 18th place and a comfortably superior goal difference to Saint-Etienne, so the danger of relegation is fading for Troyes. Meanwhile, a third defeat in four games has finally ended Lille’s hopes of returning to Europe next season.
THE PLAYER: Florian Tardieu
The 30-year-old midfielder, who used to be a Marseille season-ticket holder, recently scored his first Ligue 1 Uber Eats goal from the spot in a 1-1 draw with Strasbourg. He added two more here to help his side to a precious victory in their fight for survival.
THE STAT: 2+3
Lille are the first team in the last 30 years to have two players sent off and concede three penalties in one Ligue 1 game.
