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PSG champions as Lille held at Toulouse

PSG champions as Lille held at Toulouse

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Publish on 04/21 at 00:00 - S. WILLIS

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Paris Saint-Germain have been confirmed as champions for the second season running after second-placed LOSC were held to a 0-0 draw away at Toulouse FC on Sunday.

Toulouse FC  0 - 0  LOSC 

THE MATCH

After destroying PSG 5-1 last weekend, Lille needed another victory here at Le Stadium to further postpone the capital club's title celebrations, at least until Thomas Tuchel's side faced AS Monaco at home later on Sunday.

However, LOSC could not break down Toulouse in a tough, physical encounter, and are now 16 points behind PSG with just five matches left. Paris can therefore finally begin celebrating the eighth league title in their history after squandering three opportunities of their own to finish the job.

Lille thought they had got the breakthrough just after the hour mark when Nicolas Pépé set up Thiago Mendes to fire into the bottom corner from the edge of the area, but the goal was disallowed by referee Nicolas Rainville following a VAR review because of a handball by Jonathan Ikoné in the build-up.

Toulouse hit post twice

The draw here for Lille will also give hope to the teams below them in the fight for qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League. Christophe Galtier's team are now just six points better off than third-placed Olympique Lyonnais, who they face away from home early next month.

Toulouse, whose home form has improved considerably in 2019, came closest to scoring with Jimmy Durmaz curling a shot off the inside of the post in the 14th minute. Max Gradel, their captain and leading scorer, did likewise late on after being set up by substitute Manu García (83'), but the draw keeps them a safe distance clear of the bottom three.

Lille had other chances too, with Ikoné curling a shot just wide from outside the area (20') and Pépé shooting straight at Baptiste Reynet after getting the break of the ball (72'). Pépé was not at his brilliant best, but he later set up substitute Luiz Araújo for a shot that was tipped around the post by the excellent Reynet 10 minutes from time, as Toulouse claimed a deserved draw.

THE PLAYER: Nicolas Pépé

Superb against PSG a week ago, Pépé was not on top form here and Lille were not at their brilliant best as a result. He could not add to his 19 goals and 11 assists for the campaign, but Toulouse deserve enormous credit for unsettling their visitors and preventing them from doing the kind of damage they did to the champions last time out.

THE STAT: 10

Lille are now unbeaten in their last 10 away Ligue 1 Conforama games, winning seven and drawing three since a 2-0 reverse at OGC Nice in late November.

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