LOSC Lille back in contention for Champions League knockout phase – Ligue 1 news
A commanding display by reigning Ligue 1 champions LOSC Lille against CSKA Moscow in a vital Champions League Group stage encounter at the Luzhniki Stadium ensured Les Dogues of a great chance to progress to the next round of the competition.
Rudi Garcia’s men beat Moscow 2-0 thanks to a goal by Moussa Sow and an own goal by CSKA defender Vasily Berezoutski. Ahead of the game, Rudi Garcia’s men were stuck at the bottom of the Group B after losing two consecutive games against Italian Serie A
giants Inter Milan.
A cold night in Moscow got the best out of Les Dogues who made a great and lively start to the game by controlling the midfield.
Ahead of the game, Rudi Garcia had already termed the match as “make or break” for his team as even a draw would have put the Ligue 1 side’s qualification hopes in jeopardy. On a synthetic pitch at the Luzhniki Stadium, many believe that Lille would struggle
like most European sides do in Russia.
Furthermore, a delay in their arrival at Moscow meant that the team’s preparations for the crucial encounter had been limited. In below freezing conditions, Lille certainly did well against a well-drilled Moscow side that was without the services of star
striker http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Seydou-Doumbia-c33175 who had scored 2 goals against Lille in the first meeting between the two sides in the earlier Champions League game of the season.
Hazard mesmerises
It took Lille almost 15 minutes to find their footing. Star midfielder http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Belgium-c2850 International was in great form
and pulled the strings in the midfield along with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Florent-Balmont-c13837 who was a self-assured presence in the midfield.
This was the first time Lille played a Champions League against a Russian opposition in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Russia-c2991 and Garcia’s men made their first game at Luzhniki stadium a night to remember.
Moscow certainly lacked the creativity while going forward due to a ban on Seydou Doumbia and Lille took full advantage of the Ivorian’s absence by closing all gaps in the defence.
In the 15th minute, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Moussa-Sow-c26939 and Franck Beria in the 38th
and 39th minute respectively.
It took a spectacularly weird lobbed own goal by Vasily Berezoutski to give Lille a well deserved lead. However, this was not the end of the action as the midfield trio of Hazard, Cole and Balmont dominated things in the midfield and literally shutout the
Moscow forward line.
Les Dogues finally got their reward when an initial shot by Cole in the 64th minute that hit the woodwork was converted by Sow to make it 2-0.
Round of 16 awaits
Lille kept on dominating the game and made sure that the lead stayed intact. The win now takes Lille closer to qualifying for the round of 16 of the competition and a win in their last game against Turkish surprise package http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Trabzonspor-c40759 would ensure them of
progression due to a better goal difference than Moscow who will play http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Inter-c39567 Milan at the San Siro in a game that is a must win for the Russian giants.
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