Villeneuve-d'Ascq (AFP)

Despite a disappointing performance, Lille snatched the victory against a valiant team from Marseille (2-0) and thus retained in extremis his chair as leader of Ligue 1, Wednesday during the 28th day.

Long clumsy and sometimes powerless, Losc forced the decision in the very last minutes of the match thanks to a double from his Canadian striker Jonathan David (90th, 90th + 2).

He first took advantage of a strike from Jonathan Ikoné repulsed by Steve Mandanda to open the scoring in fox surfaces, before doubling the counter with success.

Three days after being hooked by Strasbourg (1-1), the Mastiffs, sometimes inspired but often rough, narrowly avoided a new disillusion.

After this 18th victory of the season, the Northerners total 62 points and are ahead of Paris, winner in Bordeaux (1-0), and Lyon, which beat Rennes (1-0), respectively by two and three lengths.

The bad operation of the evening is for Monaco, where Lille will move on the next day, which gave way at the end of the match in Strasbourg (1-0).

- Under McCourt's eyes -

Under the eyes of its American owner Frank McCourt, visiting France since Monday to play appeasement, but in the absence of his new trainer Jorge Sampaoli, arrived Tuesday but subject to a "septaine" due to the Covid pandemic -19, OM were not very inspired but almost scored a new flattering draw, three days after the one against Lyon (1-1).

The Argentinian technician has his work cut out for him to get back on track with a team that has won only one of its last eleven league matches and falls to 8th place (39 points).

For his last championship match on the bench of OM, Nasser Larguet, who has been acting since the dismissal of André Villas-Boas on February 2, had arranged his team in 4-3-3, the system game that Sampaoli used with Atletico Mineiro.

Florian Thauvin, Dimitri Payet and Arkadiusz Milik thus made up the trio in attack.

As often this season, Losc confiscated the entry ball and imposed a heavy pressing on his Marseille opponent, who struggled to get out of his half of the field.

Logically, the Northerners quickly worried Steve Mandanda, but the Riviera goalkeeper was vigilant on a header from Zeki Celik (5th) or a half-volley from Renato Sanches (14th).

Then he was saved by Duje Caleta-Car on a powerful shot from Benjamin André (17th).

- omnipresent David -

But little by little, the Phocéens managed to get out of the pressing, the Lille people showing themselves less precise and showing an unusual technical waste.

Boubacar Kamara notably put Mike Maignan to contribution with a low shot (35th).

After the break, the scenario of the first period repeated itself with enterprising Mastiffs and Marseille grouped together.

Thus, Weah placed a superb curled shot that Mandanda masterfully diverted for a corner (55th), then Jonathan David found the small net on a pivot strike (56th) before getting the ball in extremis in the area by Pape Gueye (60th).

The Canadian, still well placed, then infiltrated the area before shooting the Marseille goalkeeper from a tight angle (63rd).

However, Losc, as in his last matches, seemed to fall asleep and struggled to create opportunities in the last half hour.

Marseille, for its part, defended rather well but poorly managed the few counter situations that arose.

But finally, Lille snatched thanks to the omnipresent David a capital victory for morale and its dreams of the title.

© 2021 AFP