At the end of the suspense, the Lille players got what they had come for in Croatia. After their 2-1 first leg victory, the Dogues snatched a draw from Rijeka (1-1) on Thursday and therefore their qualification for the group stage of C4. It was the Canadian international who delivered Lille during extra time, at the end of a match where his team suffered greatly.
Awakened from the start by a huge Croatian chance, Lille were able to count on a decisive save from Lucas Chevalier in front of a first-line strike from midfielder Veldin Hodza, following the center back from the right of his partner Smolcic (5th minute) . Not very well back in the game, LOSC responded a few moments later with an incursion followed by a strike from Cavaleiro well pushed back to the ground by goalkeeper Rijeka Labrovic (15th). The first half was very poor technically and offensively, on both sides, with very little movement and above all a lot of fouls (40 in total). Especially from Jonathan David who was close to correctional three times after a yellow card received in the 8th minute. What translate a palpable tension in the Canadian striker.
Lille struggled to get into its second period, only being able to see the damage on the opening of the score from the Croatian right side Smolcic (57th). His shot from close range after a scramble in the area following a free kick, caused by a rather naive foul from Zhegrova, left Lucas Chevalier no chance. If a few minutes earlier Mr. Godinho (the Portuguese referee of the meeting) did not award a penalty to the Croats and to Vukcevic, jostled by Tiago Santos, the sanction fell for a Losc then no longer in a qualified position. The band at Fonseca believed in it ten minutes later on the equalizer of Jonathan David (69th) who headed a cross in one touch from Cavaleiro on the left. Before the VAR intervened to the aid of Mr. Godinho to indicate to him the offside position of the Portuguese. Lille gradually freed itself, with a shot from Angel Gomes (73rd) too high and then a header on the post from Leny Yoro from a corner (79th) which did not have the same success as at the first leg, he who offered victory to his people. The 17-year-old defender and his partners then had to face a dangerous extension which looked like a trap, but how often a man carried his team at arm’s length to avoid the worst.
Very uninspired even in overtime, Lille blew a blow when Jonathan David pushed into the back of the net (108th) a strike from Ismaily on the post heading perfectly into the feet of the Canadian. By dint of patience and defending, which is why Samuel Umttiti came into play and made his big debut with the Mastiffs (115th), Paulo Fonseca’s group got there and will be part of the draw for the Europa League Conference this Friday. September 1 in Monaco.
