Jean Canesse, Media365, published on Saturday January 4, 2025 at 9:09 p.m.
This Saturday evening, Lille and Nantes parted back to back as part of the 19th day of Ligue 1 (1-1). The Mastiffs may harbor regrets in their podium goal while the Canaries maintain the hope of maintaining.
A still impressive series and a team in slow motion, this is the double observation for Losc at the start of 2025. On the occasion of the arrival of FC Nantes at Pierre-Mauroy on Saturday evening, a poorly ranked team in this Ligue 1, the northern collective therefore went on to an eighteenth match without defeat (championship, European Cup, Coupe de France). He has also conceded a fifth draw in his last seven domestic matches: enough to let precious points slip away in the race for C1. Severely beaten on the last day before the holidays in Brest (4-1), the FCN returned in 2025 with a new face: welcome to the ex-Lyonnais Lopes in the goal and exit the five-man defense, Pallois and Duverne being notably sent to the bench. In a 4-3-3 seeking to make the most of the famous “transition phases”, Kombouaré's squad also had the first clear opportunity. But Abline's superb work in front of Diakité was wasted by an off-target shot from Lepenant in the area (24th).
Abline in every move
A situation not really representative of the first period since the harmless Canaries continually remained low on the ground, very close to giving in for the first time when André shot Lopes at point blank range (26th). He finally had to wait until the last minutes of the first act for the Nantes team to crack, giving Cabella the opportunity to curl a superb left-footed shot from the surface. Returned by the bar, the ball was then perfectly caught by Gudmundsson with a flat-footed shot (1-0, 41st). Led and dominated at the break, the FCN was able to react upon returning from the locker room and Ganago at one time thought he had equalized, his goal finally being canceled for an exit then an illegal re-entry by Lepenant onto the field (50th). A cruel but logical decision which preceded a much joyful one twenty minutes later. After another remarkable piece of work from Abline, Diakité completely tore into the area and offered the Yellow and Green a penalty by mowing down Mohamed. Penalty converted by Abline (1-1, 70th, sp) for what will constitute the last goal of this match. In the standings, if Nantes remains in danger at the bottom of the table, two points ahead of the red zone before the matches at Le Havre and Angers on Sunday, Lille could lose the fourth place it has just regained in Nice (one point ). OL, in the event of a card against the red lantern Montpellier (3-0 for example) in the evening, would notably dislodge Lille from the top 4.
