Lille miss out on third after Nimes draw

Lille (France) (AFP) – In-form Victor Osimhen’s seventh league goal of the season wasn’t enough for Lille on Sunday as they missed the chance to go third in Ligue 1 after drawing 2-2 with Nimes.

Nigeria international Osimhen, 20, who also scored in Lille’s 2-1 Champions League defeat to Chelsea midweek, struck the hosts’ leveller with 11 minutes remaining after a Renaud Ripart penalty at the end of the first half and Kevin Denkey’s neat 70th-minute finish had cancelled out Loic Remy’s 13th minute opener.

A win for Lille would have moved them above surprise package Angers following their 4-0 hammering at the hands of league leaders Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday.

Instead Christophe Galtier’s side stay in fifth on 15 points from nine matches, but could have easily lost against a spirited Nimes side that belied their pre-match league position of 17th.

The lively Romain Philippoteaux, who won the spot-kick that Ripart calmly slotted home, came close to scoring a wonderful individual strike when his finish clipped the outside of the post following an exciting dribble.

Later Rennes host Reims before Lyon look to put a dreadful recent run behind them when they travel to fierce local rivals Saint Etienne in Clade Puel’s first game in charge of Les Verts in Sunday’s late match.