Lille are the winners in the derby du Nord as Lens suffer their first defeat of the season. Florian Sotoca missed a penalty in a feisty first half, where another penalty for Lille was converted by Johnathan David. Bragging rights go to Les Dogues as the Sang & Or missed the chance to go third in Ligue 1.
LILLE (1 – Johnathan David)
Chevalier, 7
Diakité, 6
Fonte, 6
Djalo, 5
Ismaily, 6
Ounas, 7 – Was really good in possession, kept the ball well and was a great creative outlet for Les Dogues in the second half. Didn’t seem to get dragged into the occasion as some other players did in the first half, kept calm and made a positive impression later on in the game.
André, 6
Andre Gomes, 6 – The former Everton man led a fine line between intensity and recklessness is what was a feisty first half in which he could easily have got sent off. However, the midfielder grew more into the second half and was calm and collected after the frantic first.
Bamba, 6
Angel Gomes, 6 – Did well in the pockets to find space and keep the ball in the second half, despite the frantic opening periods of the game in which he couldn’t get on the ball.
David, 6
Others: Baleba 5, Weah 5, Martin 5
RC LENS – (0)
Samba, 6
Medina, 6
Danso, 5
Haïdara, 5
Cabot, 4 – A slightly underwhelming performance from the wing-back as he was carded early in the game, and was on the disciplinary tightrope for much of the first half. He faded as the second half but did enough in terms of intensity and defensive duty to not fully disappoint.
Machado, 6
Fofana, 5 – Wasn’t the brightest in the second half, struggled to get any momentum in midfield as Lille stifled space and in turn stifled Fofana’s game with numbers. Whilst he was the architect of a lot of chances in the first half he simply couldn’t have an impact in the second.
Abdul Samed, 6
Da Costa, 6
Sotoca, 4
Openda, 6 – Was lively in the first half and managed to stretch Lille’s defence with his blistering pace and good timing for some runs that really worried Les Dogues’ back four. However, he tired in the second half, with not too much service coming from the rest of his side.
Others: Frankowski 6, Saïd 5, Claude-Maurice 5, Boura 5, Buska 5,
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