Lille got off to a bad start to 2025, held back at home by Nantes (1-1) after a lackluster performance on Saturday during the sixteenth day of Ligue 1, and remains on the verge of the podium.
Losc is fourth (28 points) and missed the opportunity to overtake Monaco (third, thirty points) because of this draw against Nantes, despite being among the worst students in the championship (fifteenth, fifteen points).
The Mastiffs have only themselves to blame. They did not do enough in their first meeting of the year, despite possession largely to their advantage (72%).
The northern club never enjoyed this match where the number of clear chances can be counted on the fingers of one hand, which says a lot about the poverty of the content offered to the 41,000 spectators at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, with the roof closed. to protect the lawn from snow.
Given the lack of rhythm and chances created, the Mastiffs were even able to consider themselves lucky to open the scoring at the end of the first period, thanks to Rémy Cabella, the only Lille player to be really dangerous, who sent a strike from left foot on the crossbar, then taken by the right foot of Gabriel Gudmundsson (41st).
Before that, only captain Benjamin André had an opportunity to score, with a header, after a good cross from Cabella (25th).
– Matias Fernandez-Pardo injured –
Nantes striker Matthis Abline scores a penalty against Lille, in Villeneuve-‘Ascq, January 4, 2025
FRANCOIS LO PRESTI – AFP
Lille was then content to maintain its advantage, before being punished by Nantes, who played most of the match with their own goals, but were able to exploit a few counter-attacks, notably thanks to Matthis Abline.
The 21-year-old striker posed major problems for the Lille central hinge made up of Bafodé Diakité and Alexsandro, playing against the first in the first period (23rd) to create the clearest Nantes chance, then the second (70th), which allowed his team to obtain a penalty.
After overtaking Alexsandro, Abline gave the ball to Mostafa Mohamed, unnecessarily cut down by Diakité, then equalized.
In the process, he even almost gave the Canaries the advantage with a shot at the edge of the area which grazed Lucas Chevalier’s left corner.
Bruno Genesio’s players never managed to escape from this contrary scenario, despite a last attempt from Cabella (90th + 1). Their attack purred, deprived from the start of the match of Matias Fernandez-Pardo, injured and left in the tenth minute of play.
One player symbolizes this poor offensive performance: striker Jonathan David, who only touched the ball 31 times, without ever coming into prominence.
For Nantes, which is fighting to maintain its position and almost parted ways with its coach Antoine Kombouaré in recent weeks, this draw is a good one to take, especially given the tough schedule that awaits it.
On the other hand, these two lost points could weigh heavily at the end of the season for Losc, who, once again, missed the opportunity to get on the podium.
By Rémi BOUVERESSE / Villeneuve-d’Ascq (AFP) / © 2025 AFP
