The Kosovar winger scored twice on Friday to allow Lille to win the derby against Lens and provisionally climb onto the podium.
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Among the different ways to leave an indelible mark in the hearts of Lille supporters, scoring in the Northern derby is one of the most effective. In a major clash between contenders for Europe at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium, Edon Zhegrova had the luxury of doing so twice, Friday March 29, to offer Losc a significant success against rival Lensois (2-1 ) at the opening of the 27th day of Ligue 1.
Receiving a perfect cross from Nabil Bentaleb, the Kosovar international born in Germany played Brice Samba with a hidden strike to quickly open the scoring (6th, 1-0). Before putting the Mastiffs definitively safe, as a surface fox, after a breakthrough and a repelled attempt from Gabriel Gudmundsson (60th, 2-0). “It was a big derby and I know what it means for our supporters. We had to win, and it will always stay in my memory, I am very proud”reacted the double scorer at the Prime Video microphone after the match.
Silky left foot
Already decisive 20 times this season (11 goals and 9 assists in all competitions), the 24-year-old striker is one of the three strong men of this Lille team, along with the wall Lucas Chevalier and a Jonathan David he likes to make shine. A status acquired over the months, after arriving in Hauts-de-France on tiptoe, from FC Basel in the winter of 2022. A hard-hitting dribbler on his right wing, Edon Zhegrova has gained in regularity and efficiency, to establish himself as one of the major players in the championship, with his magical left foot – as evidenced by his goal against the Austrians of Sturm Graz in the Europa Conference League – and his clean-shaven head.
“He has progressed a lot, changed a lot. Today, he is a team player. When I arrived here, he was an individual player, who played a different game, an individual game, judged his trainer Paulo Fonseca last December. Now he makes the decision for the team, understands the moments of the match, when he should dribble, when he should pass.”
Against Lens, the winger was fair, including in the vice, coming close to causing the first career expulsion of the rogue Facundo Medina before the break. A red card finally reduced to a yellow after intervention by the VAR (34th).
An asset for the C4 and the race for the podium
Even if Paulo Fonseca estimated at a press conference that Kosovar “could do better defensively”, his exit to the ovations of the northern public in the 77th minute of play, Friday, coincided with the return to form of Artésiens. Not very offensive until then, they reduced the score immediately by Elye Wahi (78th, 2-1). Without however managing to catch up with the locals.
Provisionally on the third step of the podium in the championship (tied on points with Monaco) and still engaged in C4, where they must face Aston Villa in the quarter-finals (April 11 and 18), Lille can envisage a grand end to the season . “We have to try to win every match, stay calm without thinking about the Champions League, and work,” judged Edon Zhegrova before a capital month of April for Dogues. With their nugget at this level of confidence, all dreams are allowed.