Angers SCO kept their slim survival hopes alive with a 1-0 win over LOSC on Saturday, with Halid Sabanovic's late goal enough to separate the sides at the Stade Raymond Kopa.
THE MATCH
Lille began the day in the fifth and final European place, 41 points better off than their rock-bottom hosts, and they started brightly. Angel Gomes was the first to try his luck, the former Manchester United youngster letting fly from range before Paul Bernardoni turned his attempt round the post (5'). Jonathan David has scored 19 Ligue 1 Uber Eats goals this term - a league joint-best with Kylian Mbappé - but he fluffed his lines when Bernardoni then miscued a goal-kick, firing over the bar (29'). Bernardoni made amends soon after when Gomes and David combined for another chance, making a good double-save from the latter (34'). Bernardoni was on his toes again soon after, tipping an Alexsandro header out for a corner (38'), and it was goalless at the break - not for the want of Lille trying!
Don't look back in Angers
Gomes tested Bernardoni with another long-ranger early in the second half (55') but Angers made a better fist of things after the restart. Adrien Hunou should have done better than to blaze off target when he was slipped through by Nabil Bentaleb (55'), and Bentaleb took matters into his own hands soon after, forcing a good save from Bernardoni's opposite number Lucas Chevalier with a volley (65'). Bentaleb and Hunou then combined again, the latter's header also saved by the Lille shot-stopper (68'). Chavalier immediately played David through, but the Canadian fired high (69'). Bernardoni then denied David from point-blank range (70') before Angers stole the win, with Sabanovic poking home at the back post after Chevalier had parried Hunou's cross (84'). LOSC had a late penalty claim turned down (86') and it ended 1-0.
THE PLAYER: Paul Bernardoni
Sabanovic might have got the winning goal but this victory would have been impossible without Bernardoni's intervention. The former France under-21 goalkeeper had endured a difficult campaign, but he was indomitable today, pulling off five saves from gilt-edged chances.
THE STAT: 22
This was Angers' first Ligue 1 Uber Eats win in 22 attempts. The last time les Scoïstes picked up three points in the French top flight was back in September, when they beat OGC Nice 1-0 at the Allianz Riviera thanks to a lone Bentaleb strike.