Villeneuve-d'Ascq (AFP)

Paris SG took a point on Sunday on the lawn of leader Lille (0-0), where he dominated despite the absence of Neymar, and the glitches of Kylian Mbappé.

Encouraging, but insufficient to overtake Lyon in 2nd place.

In the game, the shock between the first and the second, before the 16th day, gave birth to a mouse, in a Pierre-Mauroy stadium behind closed doors, where the pre-recorded chants of supporters amplified the void.

But both teams will be happy with it.

Le Losc took back the lead of the Championship from OL (33 pts), thanks to a better goal difference.

The era Olivier Létang, the new president inducted on Friday, therefore begins under the best accounting auspices.

For its part, PSG obtained its first point against a direct competitor in the title race, after its failures against Marseille and Lyon.

It brightens a little a year end weighed down by a great feeling of fatigue, and Neymar's ankle injury.

So much for the satisfactions.

The rest is a lot to forget.

Betrayed by its lack of efficiency, for its first 0-0 since the final of the Coupe de la Ligue at the end of July, Paris has accumulated new physical concerns, with late-game injuries to Presnel Kimpembe, Layvin Kurzawa and Alessandro Florenzi .

That makes four defenders, in addition to Abdou Diallo, who could miss Strasbourg on Wednesday.

- Kimpembe's sacrifice -

The Mastiffs' problems are more in the game. Lille have shown too little to hope for anything more than a point, and their rare opportunities were spoiled by their clumsiness.

Reading the match, it is difficult to imagine that the Northerners remained in 29 matches in all competitions with at least one goal scored.

Their last "zero" went up last January ... against PSG (2-0).

Their best chance, a 4-1, was stopped by a sacrifice-shaped tackle from Kimpembe, who was injured in the action.

PSG therefore dominated, while the status of Kylian Mbappé's replacement suggested a difficult evening.

Curiously, without its two superstars, the Parisians have solid references, such as the victory against Rennes (3-0) in early November.

With the heart to compensate for the talent deficit, this team is able to provide a little more than minimum service.

The story of a better collective, when his tandem bought 400 million euros in 2017 does not play, may seem incongruous, but it is not a Christmas fable, when Marco Verratti and Marquinhos are at such level.

Despite the absences, despite the mental fatigue, the capital club imposed its game on the lawn of the best Ligue 1 team at home which forgot that it was playing at home: possession, totally Parisian (70%), testifies to its difficulties.

The Parisians only missed one goal.

The head of Thilo Kehrer (22nd) was too crossed and the dangerous center of Angel Di Maria found no one (58th).

Goalkeeper Mike Maignan had only one save to make, on a deviation from his defender José Fonte (45 + 2).

The entrance of Mbappé, which has kept its blue dye, did not spark.

For his 22nd birthday, the superstar will blow out his candles elsewhere.

© 2020 AFP