Veteran French striker Olivier Giroud rolled back the years with a decisive double, inspiring Lille to a thrilling 4-2 victory over Paris FC in a Ligue 1 encounter on Sunday. The win solidifies Lille's position in the league's upper echelon.
Match Highlights and Giroud's Redemption
The match at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy saw the visitors, Paris FC, seize an early advantage. Willem Geubbels opened the scoring in the 11th minute, tapping into an empty net after Vincent Marchetti's powerful strike rebounded off the crossbar. Lille, however, found their equalizer just before halftime. The 39-year-old Olivier Giroud expertly finished a pass from Romain Perraud in the 40th minute, marking his first league goal since August and silencing recent critics.
Lille's coach, Bruno Genesio, expressed his relief and happiness for the experienced forward, noting that the topic of Giroud's goal drought had become a recurring theme. The second half was dominated by the home side, but a breakthrough proved elusive until the final quarter of an hour.
Decisive Final Quarter and League Implications
The match's turning point arrived with 13 minutes left on the clock. Substitute Hakon Haraldsson was fouled in the box, and Giroud stepped up to convert the resulting penalty, giving Lille a 2-1 lead. The home side quickly extended their advantage when Aissa Mandi powered a header from a corner into the net in the 80th minute.
Paris FC refused to surrender, with Lohann Doucet pulling a goal back shortly after to set up a nervy finish. However, any hopes of a comeback were extinguished in the 96th minute when Marius Broholm calmly scored from the spot to seal the 4-2 win. This crucial victory earns Lille 23 points and a place in the league's top four.
Elsewhere in Ligue 1
In other Ligue 1 fixtures, Lyon's title ambitions suffered a setback as they were held to a goalless draw by bottom-placed Auxerre. Lyon's goalkeeper, Dominik Greif, was the hero, saving a first-half penalty from Lassine Sinayoko. The result leaves Lyon on 21 points, losing ground on leaders Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille.
At the other end of the table, the relegation battle intensified. Nantes and Lorient played out a 1-1 draw, with Nantes defender Chidozie Awaziem scoring a 91st-minute equalizer to cancel out his own first-half own goal. Metz fell into the relegation zone after a last-gasp 3-2 defeat to Brest, courtesy of a Romain Del Castillo penalty in the 10th minute of stoppage time. In a mid-table clash, Angers defeated Toulouse 1-0.
