Villeneuve-d'Ascq (AFP)

Lille, who played in numerical superiority during the last half hour, performed well and dominated Wolfsburg but failed to win (0-0) in front of their home crowd on Tuesday for their entry into the league. champions.

During the first period, we rediscovered the characteristics that allowed Losc to be champion of France last spring: like the ubiquitous Benjamin André, Lille have shown solidity, determination and solidarity to prevent the Bundesliga leader from developing his game. He just missed a bit in the last move to really worry the Wolves keeper.

After the break, the conquering Mastiffs continued their momentum and stifled the Germans, who played ten to eleven from the 63rd minute after the exclusion of American John Brooks for a second warning.

But Jocelyn Gourvennec's players were sorely lacking in efficiency.

Barely in the league, where they are in a disappointing 12th place with only one victory in five matches, the Northerners have responded on the European scene even if they may regret not having won.

In the other meeting of Group G, Sevilla FC were held in check (1-1) on their lawn by Red Bull Salzburg, which Lille will challenge in two weeks.

The four teams therefore have one point at the end of the first of the six days of the group stage.

From the start of the match, Losc showed a completely different face than in the defeat in Lorient (2-1) on Friday.

The first situation did not take long to arrive: on a subtle ball in the axis of Jonathan Ikoné, Burak Yilmaz did not manage to resume (8th).

Shortly after, the Turk, warmly applauded with each intervention, took a free kick that the Wolves goalkeeper deflected for a corner.

On this one, Sven Botman placed a header just above (13th).

Lille striker BUrak Yilmaz and Wolfsburg defender Maxence Lacroix, September 14, 2021 at Pierre-Mauroy Denis Charlet AFP stadium

Wolfsburg reacted but the first German incursions into the northern area were repulsed by José Fonte (15th) then Reinildo (17th).

Lille continued to push, like the attempts of Yilmaz (21st), David (30th), Angel Gomes (38th) or a center behind "King" Burak barely pushed back at the end of 'a great collective action (40th).

- The VAR cancels a goal and a penalty -

Back from the locker room, the Losc believed to open the scoring by David, well served by Ikoné, but the VAR intervened to signal a touch near the center line at the start of the action (48th).

Not cooled by this disappointment, the Mastiffs continued their momentum, like this shot wound from Gomes above (53rd).

But as often this season for Lille, an error almost cost a lot: a counter pass from Reinildo returned to the feet of Maximilian Philipp, whose powerful strike grazed the skylight of Ivo Grbic (59th).

Lille striker Angel Gomes and Wolfsburg defender Kevin Mbabu, September 14, 2021 in the Champions League in Lille Denis Charlet AFP

The exclusion of Brooks at the hour mark (63rd) reinforced the domination of Losc.

So, a few seconds later, David put Koen Casteels to work on a clear end (64th).

Then Ikoné sent his recovery into the clouds (66th) and Yilmaz found the Belgian porter's gloves on a head at close range (69th).

The Lille waves swept over the German goal during the last minutes, but neither André (90th), nor Amadou Onana (90th + 2), nor Fonte (90th + 3) managed to find the nets.

And at the last minute of added time, the VAR transformed a penalty whistled by the referee into a free kick ... which gave nothing (90th + 8).

Lille did not win, but Lille was reassured!

© 2021 AFP