December 18, (THEWILL) – A last-gasp equaliser from Jonathan David denied Paris Saint-Germain a vital victory as they drew 1-1 away at Lille. Going into the match on Sunday, league leaders, PSG, held a five-point advantage at the top of Ligue 1.
The visitors looked set to extend that lead as Kylian Mbappe’s 68th-minute penalty put them ahead after Lille defender, Bafode Diakite, had brought down left-back Lucas Hernandez. Mbappe had been well shackled by Nabil Bentaleb early on while at the other end, Lille struggled to create chances despite the threat posed by Edon Zhegrova.
The first half ended goalless with Lille keeper Lucas Chevalier making a good save from Vitinha’s drive. After the break, the visitors started stronger but Lille responded well. As the game entered stoppage time, substitute Adam Ounas forced a late corner. Although his subsequent deflected shot was saved, Canadian striker David was on hand to head home a dramatic equaliser. The result means PSG now lead second-placed Nice by five points while Lille lie fourth.
Though wasteful finishing from Ousmane Dembele proved costly, Mbappe appeared PSG’s most dangerous player. The France striker also saw a second-half cross go begging while Achraf Hakimi delivered an inviting ball he failed to capitalise on. Lille grew stronger late on and were unlucky as an offside flag ruled out a Yusuf Yazici goal before David’s timely intervention.
Despite dropping points, PSG still lead the way in what is shaping up to be another exciting Ligue 1 title race. With nearly half the season remaining, there will likely be many more twists and turns before the trophy’s destination is decided next year.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
