Substitute Hakon Haraldsson scored a late winner as Lille fended off a Sturm Graz comeback to move closer to the Champions League knockouts.
Lille dominated the first half at Stade Pierre Mauroy and took a deserved lead when Osame Sahraoui finished off a slick counter-attack with an arrowed strike into the bottom corner.
Jonathan David should have scored earlier in the half but he scooped Thomas Meunier’s cut-back over the bar after his side were denied a penalty by a video assistant referee (VAR) review.
Lille doubled their advantage in first-half injury-time as Mitchel Bakker stabbed past Daniil Khudyakov from close range following some neat build-up play between David and Remy Cabella.
However, the visitors hit back immediately as Otar Kiteishvili converted at the back post with the final kick of the half.
The Austrian side completed an unlikely comeback two minutes into the second half as Mika Biereth slotted in William Boving’s low ball across the face of goal.
Lille fell flat after that goal as the visitors grew in confidence, but the momentum swung back in the home side’s favour with Bakker and Meunier forcing Khudyakov into smart stops and David flashing an effort narrowly wide.
Lille coach Bruno Genesio introduced Haraldsson from the bench as the French side searched for a winner – and a reward came 58 seconds later when the Iceland international winger beat Khudyakov with a venomous near-post strike.
Victory means Lille have 13 points after six games and are all but guaranteed a place in the Champions League knockouts.
A fifth defeat in six games leaves Sturm Graz 29th in the standings and facing elimination.
Belgium
