Lille missed the opportunity to distance Marseille in the race for third place by drawing 0-0 at home against a solid Niśoise team on Saturday during the 30th round of Ligue 1. Before the match, Lille was in third place and could have taken advantage of Marseille’s loss to Lorient (2-0) earlier in the day.
This draw, ending a streak of four wins in Ligue 1, allowed Lille (54 points) to move two points ahead of fourth-placed Marseille (52 pts). Lyon (5th, 51 pts) could catch up if they win against PSG on Sunday. This point was crucial for Nice (15th, 29 pts) in the relegation battle, giving them a five-point lead over the playoff spot, currently held by Auxerre who will play against Monaco on Sunday.
Claude Puel had to reshuffle his midfield due to suspensions and injuries, with Tanguy Ndombélé making only his third start in Ligue 1 this season. Nice managed to contain Lille’s attacks, mainly relying on Elye Wahi for offensive threats.
Few chances were created in the game, with Lille’s only notable moment being a disallowed goal due to offside. The best opportunity for Nice came from Romain Perraud’s deflected shot in the first half.
Lille struggled to create opportunities without Nabil Bentaleb in midfield, who was absent due to injury. Even with the substitutions of Ethan Mbappé and Olivier Giroud, Lille failed to break the deadlock, with Chancel Mbemba hitting the post.
The Lille players were left frustrated as the referee did not award a penalty after VAR reviews of two contentious situations in the Niśoise penalty area. Despite pushing until the end, Lille could not score, and Nice held on for a well-deserved point. The point will boost Nice’s confidence as they prepare to face Strasbourg in the Coupe de France semi-finals on Wednesday.
