Jonathan David got the only goal of the game as LOSC beat RC Lens 1-0 in the Derby du Nord, snapping the visitors' 17-game undefeated streak in Ligue 1 Uber Eats in the process.
LOSC 1-0 RC Lens
THE MATCH
Lille welcome Lens to their Stade Pierre-Mauroy having won 44 of their previous 115 meetings but trailing their visitors by five places and eight points in the table. They nearly7 got off to the worst possible start, too. Jose Fonte fouled the onrushing Deiver Machado in the area and referee François Letexier pointed to the spot. Lens' six-goal top scorer Florian Sotoca stepped up to take, but Lucas Chevalier made a fine stop (15'). Lille tried to return fire midway through the half when Adam Ounas found David in space, but the Canadian's subsequent effort lacked the power to test Chevalier's opposite number, Brice Samba (25'). It was a penalty at the other end that led to the opener. Massadio Haïdara fouled Benjamin André after an Ounas corner and David made amends for his earlier miss, passing his seventh goal of the season into the bottom corner (44').
Lille hold on
Lille started the second half brightly and Samba had to be on his toes to deny Ounas from a tight angle after he had been slipped through by André (47'). Ounas was beginning to find a lot of space in behind Machado and a cutback for André Gomes might have resulted in a goal had Haïdara not thrown himself at the danger (55'). Lens captain Seko Fofana tried to take matters into his own hands on the hour when he dispossessed Gomes and let fly, but his effort sailed wide (60'). Alexis Claude-Maurice came on for Sotoca and nearly scored a wonder-goal minutes later, but his top corner-bound effort was well saved buy Chevalier (70'). Samba made a smart double save from David then Gomes at the other end (72') and it ended 1-0.
THE PLAYER: Lucas Chevalier
Chevalier wasn't even Lille's first-choice goalkeeper heading into this season, with Léo Jardim the incumbent between the posts, but performances like tonight's are exactly why Paulo Fonseca has entrusted the 20-year-old academy graduate. The future looks bright for the France youth international shot-stopper.
THE STAT: 18
This was Lens' first Ligue 1 Uber Eats defeat in 18 matches, and incredible run which stretches back to April when they were edged 1-0 by RC Strasbourg Alsace at their Stade de la Meinau. This loss will smart more, but les Sang et Or remain fourth in the table.
