PARIS (AP) – Lille did enough as a French league forward after drawing 0-0 at home with protective champion Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.
PSG was left without an injured Neymar, who is healing an ankle injury, while Kylian Mbappé on the bench and only entered for the final phase.
“We missed a lot of players who are decisive for us,” said PSG coach Thomas Tuchel. “But we did very well and we controlled his counterattacks. “
A victory would have put Lille two issues ahead of second-placed Lyon and four issues ahead of PSG. After the goalless draw, Lille only led Lyon to the difference of purpose, as PSG gave them a point in third place.
“We are disappointed to have won the match, but we are still satisfied to be first,” said Lille center-back José Fonte.
Lille’s Mike Maignan, the most active goalkeeper in the first half, saved forward Moise Kean and saved hard with his foot in time-outs to prevent Fonte from scoring a counterattack under pressure from PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe.
Jonathan Ikone saw his shot powered up on an infrequent for Lille.
Ángel Di María is PSG’s top damaging player and he did well to beat right-back Zeki Celik, but his center through the mouth of purpose didn’t return in time.
Lille coach Christophe Galtier felt the push with PSG and temporarily made two changes, adding Canadian striker Jonathan David and Timothy Weah, son of Liberian president and former PSG striker George Weah.
After that, the home look took a step forward and PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas jumped into action by reversing Burak Yilmaz’s shot from the edge of the penalty area for a corner kick.
Mbappé replaced Di Maria in the 77th minute, but Lille scored moments later.
After a missed corner from PSG, Lille was discovered in a 4-1 counterattack. Kimpembe made a very good slide shot to prevent Yilmaz from purposely running with his teammates in any aspect of him.
RENNES RECOVERY
After failing in their Champions League debut, Rennes regained their national form with Sunday’s 3-0 win at Lorient, propelling the club to fifth place.
Rennes also lost a Europa League spot amid poor form. But coach Julien Stephan’s team has come back with 3 outright wins and is tied in trouble with fourth-place Marseille who have a difference of purpose.
After center-back Damien Da Silva opened the scoring midway through the first half with a low shot, midfielder Benjamin Bourigeaud made it 2-0 midway through with a good shot in the lower left corner. Forward Martin Terrier closed the victory in the 75th minute by cutting to the left and wrapping the ball in the opposite corner.
OTHER GAMES
Montpellier, sixth place, lost ground in the outposts after a 2-2 mid-table draw for Brest with Andy Delort leading, snatching an expired draw for Montpellier.
Monaco snapped a three-game waste streak with a 1-0 win at Dijon thanks to an early purpose from German forward Kevin Volland, which was established through her attacking husband Wissam Ben Yedder. Monaco moved up to seventh place.
Also: Saint-Etienne 2, Nîmes 2; Strasbourg 0, Bordeaux 2; and Nantes 1, Angers 1.
Lyon won 4-1 in Nice on Saturday to make thirteen matches unbeaten.
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