Lille achieved the feat by resisting Juventus with a 1-1 draw in the Champions League. The Dogues prove their solidity and can dream of the 8th finals. The fervor of the stadium…
Last night, LOSC achieved the feat by holding off Italian giant Juventus with a 1-1 score during the group stage of the Champions League. Despite a formidable opponent accustomed to European games, the Mastiffs showed solidarity and commitment at all times to achieve this crucial result in the race to qualify for the round of 16.
An intense and contested match from start to finish
From the kick-off, the match seemed balanced, with the two teams going blow for blow in a melting Pierre-Mauroy stadium. Juventus, led by its stars like Dusan Vlahovic or Angel Di Maria, tried to impose its game but came up against a compact and determined Lille defense.
The Lille supporters pushed their team, aware of the major stakes of this meeting. And their encouragement paid off since it was LOSC who opened the scoring shortly before the half-hour mark thanks to a superb curling shot from Jonathan David, well served by Benjamin André. A goal that made the stands explode with joy.
We knew it would be a difficult match, Juventus remains a very big club despite their current difficulties. But we managed to score first, defend well afterwards and snatch a draw. It's a great result for us.
Benjamin André, Lille captain
Juventus equalize but Lille holds on
The northern joy, however, was short-lived since the Old Lady managed to equalize just before half-time through their Serbian striker Vlahovic, who took a cross from Cuadrado at the far post. A hard blow for LOSC which had until then been able to contain the Italian attacks.
Returning from the locker room, the Turinese increased their pressure, monopolizing the ball and multiplying the opportunities in the Lille camp. But the Mastiffs, guided by an excellent Lucas Chevalier in the cages, stood together to preserve their point from the draw.
In the final minutes, Lille even almost created a sensation by going on the counterattack through Jonathan Bamba and Rémy Cabella. The final whistle finally sounded with a score of 1-1 between two teams who went blow for blow for 90 minutes.
Lille can dream of the eighth
With this point from the draw against a European leader, Lille achieved a very good accounting operation and put itself back in the race to qualify for the next round. Halfway through the group stage, Paulo Fonseca's men have 5 points and are in second place behind RB Salzburg (7 points).
A favorable position before a double duel against Sevilla FC, a direct competitor in this group G, which will be decisive for the rest of the competition. If successful in these two confrontations, Lille could even consider finishing first in their group and thus avoid a complicated draw in the round of 16.
This result gives us a lot of confidence and motivation for the future. We will give everything to qualify for the round of 16. With the support of our public, we are capable of doing great things in this Champions League.
Paulo Fonseca, coach of Lille
A new peak in northern football
By resisting in this way against one of the biggest European clubs, Lille proves that they will have to be reckoned with in this Champions League. After its great epic in 2019 where it reached the round of 16, LOSC now dreams of going even further and why not imitating OL, the last French club to have reached the semi-finals in 2020.
This successful journey on the continental scene also testifies to the current good health of the northern club, solid and ambitious on all fronts. Leaders of Ligue 1 and firmly established in the top 4 of the UEFA rankings, the Mastiffs assert their status as a stronghold of French football.
The reception of Salzburg in 3 weeks at Pierre-Mauroy already promises to be crucial in the quest for qualification. There is no doubt that Lille supporters will be there to push their favorites towards another resounding feat in the Champions League. LOSC can dream big!
