While Nice is definitively eliminated from the competition, Lille qualified for the round of 16 of the Europa League by beating Sparta Prague 2-1 on the fifth and penultimate day of the group stage on Thursday 3 December , in Villeneuve-d’Ascq.
Even in the event of a defeat next week in Scotland at Celtic Glasgow, Christophe Galtier’s team will not be able to finish beyond second place. With 11 points, the Northerners keep the lead of Group H with a head start over AC Milan, who dominated Celtic Glasgow (4-2).
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Yilmaz double against Slavia Prague
From the start, Lille took control of operations and the meeting was one-sided. LOSC stacked up the chances, but was sorely ineffective. Thus, on a backlash, Luiz Araujo, ideally served by Yusuf Yazici on two occasions, first came up against Florin Nita (31e) before shooting right next to it (36e). In the meantime, the Turk tried his luck on a distant free kick (35e). The Prague goalkeeper, in great demand, then had a good reflex on a new shot from the playmaker deflected by a defender (43rd).
Benjamin André, from the head, also tried his luck twice, just missing the frame (37e), then finding the crossbar (45e).
As soon as the resumption, the Mastiffs resumed their outrageous domination and again obtained several clear chances, in particular by Jonathan David. The Canadian first missed his control and stumbled over the Czech goalkeeper on an opening by Jonathan Bamba (48e), then he had the ball stolen by Ladislav Krejci as he was about to take back (49e). Nita then had great success unwittingly turning a point-blank head from Xeka’s face (56e). Soon after, his defense replaced him by pushing back two consecutive attempts by Botman (63e).
In the process, Sparta found themselves at ten after the exclusion of Ondrej Celustka, who received two warnings in three minutes (61e and 64e). However, to everyone’s amazement, the Czechs punished the Lille on their only opportunity: only left side, Srdan Plavsic centered at the far post for Krejci, who took the best of Domagoj Bradaric to open the scoring (0-1, 71e).
🇹🇷 Super sub Burak Yılmaz! Two goals in four minutes to send LOSC into last 32 👏👏👏 #UEL https://t.co/Vs82DxbKaS
But Christophe Galtier’s coaching proved to be a winner since Yilmaz’s entry into the 77e minute changed everything: the Turk first equalized by taking back a center back from Timothy Weah, who had also just returned (1-1, 80e), then he offered victory and qualification to the Mastiffs with a curled strike with the flat of the foot on an opening from Jonathan Ikoné, also a substitute at kick-off (2-1, 84e).
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Nice eliminated without glory
For its part, Nice was beaten at home by Bayer Levekusen (2-3); the club is therefore eliminated from the competition, and, worse, has a fifth consecutive defeat, which plunges it a little into the crisis.
Leverkusen was above a Nice in great pain since Dante’s injury at Angers a month ago. The German team, qualified in this group C along with Slavia Prague, logically won at the Allianz Riviera on goals from Moussa Diaby (22e), Dragovic (32e) and Baumgartlinger (51e). Nice, who will play in the other eliminated, Beer Sheva, next Thursday in Israel, had managed to equalize twice by Hassane Kamara (26e) and Ndoye (47e).
With five defeats for as many games and fourteen goals conceded during this period, the Gym and Patrick Vieira are pursuing a black series that could quickly cost the former Gunners captain’s job. He will have to achieve a result Sunday in Reims in Ligue 1, in a duel between two French dunces in Europe …
“It’s a very complicated moment, I have to face, said Vieira the day before the match. I am combative. I’ve always stuck as a player. I will continue to do so as a coach. “
