Lille remained on the heels of the Ligue 1 leaders after welcoming in 2025 with a disappointing 1-1 residence draw in opposition to Nantes on Saturday whereas solely a final minute own-goal saved Lyon’s blushes in opposition to backside aspect Montpellier.
Remy Cabella capitalised on one of many few probabilities of a colorless sport in Lille to place the hosts in management as half-time approached.
However any hopes of overtaking third-placed Monaco went out the window when 21-year-old striker Matthis Abline secured the Seventieth-minute equaliser from the penalty spot.
“We simply weren’t ok in each division,” Lille coach Bruno Genesio noticed frankly.
After additionally letting two factors slip from their grasp in December in opposition to one other staff manner beneath them, table-footers Montpellier, Genesio identified: “It is these kind of matches that depart us with a sense of unfinished enterprise.
“We’ve got little or no margin, we now have to remain completely focussed.”
Saint-Etienne brushed away any lingering post-festive blues to file a 3-1 win over mid-table guests Reims.
Saint-Etienne needed to come from behind to reverse a run of 4 consecutive losses, with a brace from Augustine Boakye incomes new coach Eirik Horneland his first win on the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium.
In Saturday’s late match Lyon thought any title aspirations they nonetheless entertained had been dented by a feisty Montpellier however Khalil Fayad’s personal purpose within the first minute of stoppage time broke the away staff’s coronary heart and moved Lyon to inside two factors of third-placed Monaco.
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