For Lille, serious things have started. The men of Christophe Galtier, current leaders of Ligue 1, have a busy schedule. In Monaco, the first stage of their series of trips to the well-classified teams of the championship (Paris, Metz, Lyon and Lens by the end of the championship), the Mastiffs were catchy in defense if not being biting in attack.
Before winning to believe even more in the title, Lille seemed to think more about not losing to glimpse a little more the Champions League, accessible in the event of a podium in this four-man race with Monaco, PSG and OL. By sharing the points (0-0), they retain a seven-unit advantage over Monaco, fourth, nine days from the end of L1, and keep the cards in hand to aim higher. “I have the impression that Lille were here to play a draw”, noted Monaco coach Niko Kovac.
The Northerners have relied on defense, their strength since the start of the season. With 17 goals conceded in 29 days, goalkeeper Mike Maignan leads the best fortress in the championship – tied with that led by Parisian Keylor Navas. The French international fully played his part in this result, winning in stoppage time a head-to-head with Stevan Jovetic, within six meters. The Monegasques did shake the net once, but striker Wissam Ben Yedder was signaled offside, confirmed for a few centimeters by video refereeing.
17 – Lille have conceded only 17 goals after 29 Ligue 1 2020/21 matches, their lowest total at this stage of the com… https://t.co/Hj7KVc1YIk
“Do better in the game”
The strong men of the Lille defense assured, whether it is the impassable José Fonte or, in front of him, the midfielder Benjamin André. But if the first part of the contract, not to lose, has been fulfilled, the second, to win, has not been fulfilled.
” We could do better in the game. We played a bit in the second half, but it was too little to endanger them. », Regretted André at the microphone of Canal + at the end of the match. The club’s impressive streak of seven consecutive away wins has therefore come to an end.
His partners spent a lot of energy to resist against the intensity set from the start of the match by Monaco. Used to putting a lot of commitment in their pressing, the Lille were disturbed and failed to dictate their pace. The only good news in attack, the return to peak of the Turkish Burak Yilmaz for the last quarter of an hour, after several months of absence.
And if the Canadian striker Jonathan David has no equal in Ligue 1 this season to place himself in the right place and exploit the errors of the opposing defenses, his accomplice in the attack Jonathan Bamba did not have the same reflexes: he failed to catch a volley shot from Timothy Weah, pushed back in front of him by goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte.
The opportunity to score was no longer presented against a Monaco team who tightened the bolts in defense: very friable until then, they have only taken one goal in the last five games.
Lille will now prepare for the shock of Ligue 1 on April 3 against PSG, crucial in the title race, by moving for the first time to… Parc des Princes. On Wednesday March 17, they will play the knockout stages of the Coupe de France there. But this time it will take a winner. Perhaps at the cost of another draw and a penalty shootout.
