Facing the last Turkish vice-champion, Lille won by a hair’s breadth (2-1) on Tuesday, during the first leg of the third qualifying round for the Champions League.
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A last-minute victory against José Mourinho’s new club. Lille beat Fenerbahçe (2-1) in injury time thanks to a goal from Edon Zhegrova, in Valenciennes, on Tuesday August 6, during the third round first leg of the Champions League qualifying match. At the Stade du Hainaut, far from their Pierre-Mauroy den which is hosting the Olympic handball tournaments this week, Lille were saved by their Kosovar winger, who came on in the 70th minute and scored the decisive goal (90th+1).
Before this spark, the Northerners had quickly found the fault thanks to Tiago Santos (12th) before the equalizer of Irfan Can Kahveci with a free kick (80th). The new coach of Losc Bruno Genesio opted for a defense with three axials, the only major novelty of an eleven which had ten players already present last season including Jonathan David, who could leave, and Lucas Chevalier, recovered from his meniscus injury. The recruit Thomas Meunier, formerly of PSG, was indeed in the starting line-up.
A return match announced to be complicated in Türkiye
Losc suffered in the second half but showed a strength of character that it will need again on August 13 (7 p.m.), in Istanbul, in an atmosphere that promises to be boiling. If the Northerners do not lose, they will be assured of playing in the play-off for access to the Champions League against the Belgians of Union Saint-Gilloise or the Czechs of Slavia Prague. The first leg will take place at home on August 20 or 21, the return on the 27 or 28.
