Champions Lille, Monaco Extend Winless Starts To French Season

By Daily sports on August 22, 2021

Defending champions Lille were left still looking for their first win of the new French season after Saidou Sow’s late equaliser secured a 1-1 draw for Saint-Etienne on Saturday.

Burak Yilmaz, the veteran Turkish striker who was Lille's top scorer on their remarkable run to the title in May, had earlier given the visitors the lead with a snap-shot late in the first half.

But Saint-Etienne equalised with four minutes remaining when teenage defender Sow met a corner with a towering header, sending the ball over Lille goalkeeper Ivo Grbic – making his debut after signing on loan from Atletico Madrid – and into the net.

Lille, whose title-winning coach Christophe Galtier left for Nice in the close season, have started this Ligue 1 campaign with two draws either side of a 4-0 home hammering by Nice.

Monaco came third last season to earn a crack at the Champions League but their start has been even worse: after taking one point from their first two outings the principality side went down 2-0 at home to Lens on Saturday.

Second-half goals by Cameroonian forward Ignatius Ganago and substitute Simon Banza gave Lens the victory at the Stade Louis II, leaving Monaco eight points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain already.

For Monaco, much now rests on the second leg of their Champions League play-off tie against Shakhtar Donetsk, with Niko Kovac’s side heading to Ukraine on Wednesday trailing 1-0 after the first leg as they chase a spot in the group stage.

Ganago gave Lens the lead six minutes into the second half, easily getting away from Strahinja Pavlovic to break into the box and score.

The away side then lost midfielder Cheick Doucoure, sent off for a challenge on Krepin Diatta just after the hour, but Monaco could not make their one-man advantage count.

Indeed they had Aleksandr Golovin sent off for a dangerous tackle on Banza late on, and Lens sealed the win in added time as Przemyslaw Frankoswki squared for Banza to finish.

“To maintain the same level of performance as last season, we have to do even more because our opponents now have more of an idea about us,” said Kovac in a damning assessment of his team.

“To be successful again, we will have to fight harder. In football, nothing is taken for granted.”

On Friday, PSG made it three wins out of three as Kylian Mbappe and Angel di Maria both netted in a 4-2 win at Brest.

Ander Herrera and Idrissa Gana Gueye were also on target for a PSG side still missing both Lionel Messi and Neymar, neither of whom is yet fit to play. (AFP)

•PHOTO: Lens players 

Source Daily sports

Posted August 22, 2021


 

You may also like...
Liverpool Beat Ajax In Champions League Opener

NOC Hails Oshodi For Winning Africa Table Tennis...

Reading doubt potential transfer deal for Aluko

Everton, Fulham agree £22m Iwobi deal

Andre Ayew to Stay at Swansea City

UEFA Champions League: It’s Real Madrid vs PSG;...

 

Latest News JOF Kids Cup: Teams Battle For Semi-Finals Tickets This Weekend Adebayo battles Tanzanian for WBO title Gospel singer, Bassey, others knock poor Eagles display Awka City Stadium Hosts Rangers Against Heartland Federation Cup Clash 2025 Beach Soccer League: Anambra Warriors In Killer Mode To Secure First Round Qualifier Rivers lucky against Ikorodu City – Finidi We are not in Nigeria for holidays – Zimbabwe captain Don’t dash Nigerians’ hopes, Emenike tells Eagles Ikpeba backs Osimhen to break Yekini’s record Nwokolo to defend WBA NABA title April 26 Chelle chases second win against Warriors in Uyo Akwa Ibom offers free tickets for Super Eagles vs Zimbabwe match

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,373 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,520 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,535 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,178 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (44,141 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (44,134 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,945 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,489 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,580 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,234 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,672 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (39,096 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media