The context
Just four days after an honorable defeat against Liverpool in C1 (2-1), our Mastiffs are back in France to face RC Strasbourg Alsace, in L1. A match where the only goal is victory for LOSC, especially to maintain this flattering place on the championship podium snatched from Nice (2-1) last weekend. Opposite, Strasbourg, 10th, had managed to catch Lille in the first leg and hopes at least to do it again, to get out of the soft underbelly of the ranking. Note an infirmary which is always full in Lille, with Umtiti, Bentaleb, Santos, Zhegrova, Fernandez-Pardo and Ismaily on the flank. Alexsandro and Jonathan David are suspended for the match. It is therefore Mohamed Bayo who inherits the keys to the Lille attack this Saturday evening.
The match
Despite a fairly largely revised starting line-up compared to that which began on Tuesday evening, LOSC assumes its ambitions and imposes its rhythm from the start. Pressing, precise, the Mastiffs show their fangs and do not take long to use them: on a good pressing from Haraldsson, cleverly extended by Bayo, the LOSC pushes the Strasbourg defense to the fault and allows Osame Sahraoui, alone against Petrovic, to score his second goal of the season (0-1, 8′) at the very beginning of the game! An ideal scenario for our Lille residents who do not loosen their grip: the untenable Haraldsson, definitely in good shape, ideally serves Thomas Meunier a few minutes later. His firecracker from the right, lit from the right of the goal, only missed the target thanks to the intervention of the Alsatian goalkeeper, who spared his team a further delay (0-1, 17′). Dominant despite a few alerts on Chevalier’s goal, the Mastiffs kept their opponent in a stranglehold, and even thought they would benefit from a penalty at the end of the first half. Whistled then canceled by Mr. Delajod, for a hand deemed lawful by Nanasi, the penalty for the second Lille goal will ultimately not take place, and our team will regret it…
Because, not safe from a reversal of steam, Lille quickly wiped off their first sweats in the second half: Emegha (57′) then Diarra (59′) tested the gloves of Chevalier, who intervened at the last minute on his line. La Meinau even holds her breath when she thinks she sees a hand, this time in the Lille area, but again, the referee lets the game play out – and again, rightly so. Under pressure, Bruno Genesio’s men struggle, but end up conceding the equalizer on a miraculous volley from Andrey Santos outside the area (1-1, 70′): the Strasbourg player, already author of 8 goals this season, was on the receiving end of a defensive header from Mandi. Without asking any questions, he turns on Lucas Chevalier who may be embarrassed by his teammates.
Stunned and upset, the Lille residents attempted a small revolt through Bayo who unleashed a daring shot from under the bar – deflected by Petrovic (72′), but are quickly trapped on a counter from Moreira, who gets rid of Bouaddi to serve Diarra in the axis. The following cross finds Emegha’s header which pierces Chevalier’s defense again (2-1, 74′). Overthrown in just five minutes, Lille even narrowly escaped the coup de grace two minutes later on another header from Emegha, alone at the far post. Fortunately, the local kid kept watch and kept LOSC alive in the last quarter of an hour. A hope that Rémy Cabella will not be able to convert, author of a point-blank header on Petrovic five minutes from time, masterfully repelled by the Alsatian goalkeeper (87′). Lille is defeated for the first time in Ligue 1 since September 13 and the 4th day of Ligue 1 McDonald’s. It was against… Saint-Etienne, their next opponent in the championship.
-The sequel
Still in the running for direct qualification in the round of 32 of the UEFA Champions League, Lille will take on Feyenoord Rotterdam on Wednesday evening (9 p.m.) at the Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre Mauroy! A meeting that promises plenty of emotion from the show to spare for all LOSC lovers, all united to extend our beautiful European adventure. Our team will then host AS Saint-Etienne in the championship (Saturday, 9:05 p.m.), opening a month of February which promises to be hot.
The match sheet
RC Strasbourg Alsace-LOSC: 2-1 (2-1)
Saturday January 25, 2025, 7 p.m. – Ligue 1 Mc Donald’s, 19th day
Meinau Stadium
Referee: M. Delajod
Buts : Sahraoui (10′) for LOSC, Santos (70′), Emegha (74′) for Strasbourg
Warnings: Doukouré (19′), Santos (37′), Diarra (64′), Ouattara (65′) for Strasbourg, Gudmundsson (33′), Bakker (75′) for LOSC
RCSA : Petrovic – Doué, Doukouré, Sarr, Moreira – Santos, Diarra (c), Ouattara (Sebas, 79′), Lemarechal (Senaya, 80′), Nanasi (Omobamidele, 46′) – Emegha
Coach : Liam Rosenior
LOSC: Chevalier – Meunier, Mandi, Diakité, Gudmundsson – André (c), Bouaddi (Mbappé, 86′) – Bakker (Angel Gomes, 80′), Haraldsson, Sahraoui (Cabella, 80′) – Bayo (Malouda, 89′)
Coach : Bruno Genesio
