Villeneuve-d'Ascq (AFP)
Lille compromised his chances of qualifying for the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League on Matchday 2, losing to Chelsea (2-1) on Wednesday in a match he failed to ignite.
Last of their hen, the Nordists almost said "goodbye" to the first two places. It may be the price of their inexperience, which had already played a nasty trick against Ajax Amsterdam when they entered the running (3-0).
The northern coach Christophe Galtier had asked more realism to his players. Victor Osimhen, as a good student, heard it, opening the scoring on the first important Lille time (33). But his message of "playing, playing, playing and playing" evaporated under the roof of the Pierre-Mauroy stadium, because his Dogues have spent most of their time running behind the ball.
His bet to bet on his promising talents, with seven holders aged 23 years or less, did not have the expected result in front of the strength of the Chelsea midfielder and his metronome N'Golo Kanté, still very good. He has seen more the defects of the youth, in the strong technical waste and the defensive errors, than his advantages.
His Losc, who sometimes lacked aggression, failed to wrap the game in front of more than 48,000 spectators who only needed a spark to ignite for the return of the C1 in the North after seven years of waiting.
- Osimhen scorer -
Chelsea, limited by a recruitment ban last summer, yet had nothing of the cador who had outclassed Arsenal in the final of the Europa League last season (4-1). Killed by several nuggets of his training center, including striker Tammy Abraham (22 years), the Blues have met their limits of the moment, especially in defense where the French international Kurt Zouma was not very reassuring.
But, contrary to Lille, Frank Lampard can count on better individualities which have made the difference: it is the "old" Willian who offered him his first European success on a bench, of a nice recovery of volley late in the game (77th). And his goalkeeper Kepa took charge at the end of the meeting to extinguish the last impulses of the Losc.
After his defeat against Valencia (1-0), Chelsea regains control over his destiny, behind the leader Amsterdam, winner in Spain (3-0) in the evening. With zero points, the Dogues are already lagging behind.
Lille, who has not won a European Cup at home since August 2012, continues to learn. But he will quickly have to remember his lessons, especially in defense, if he wants to hang at least the third place synonymous with C3.
- Sanches without impact -
Like two weeks ago, the Dogues quickly conceded a goal, from the 22nd minute, on a bad position of the rearguard that left Abraham, alone, beat Mike Maignan (22). Laterals Zeki Celik and Reinildo also experienced a very difficult evening that could have been fatal without the clumsiness of the Londoners (19th, 29th 71).
The post, with a shot from Jorginho late in the first period (45 + 1), delayed the deadline. A duel lost by Yusuf Yazici allowed Callum Hudson-Odoi to offer, in a chair, a delightful center for Willian for the K-0 goal.
The weakness of the Turk on the action questions about the changes of Galtier, who did not bring the desired freshness. Renato Sanches, the most expensive rookie in Lille history, chained a new, tasteless performance after coming into play in the 69th.
Lille could have good reason to hope thanks to rising star Osimhen, who scored his seventh goal of the season. But the Nigerian could have doubled the bet (73) if he had not been too greedy. He too learns.
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