Lille, Feb 9: Four days after its humiliating French Cup exit, Lille completed a week to forget on Saturday with a 2-1 loss at home to last-placed Le Havre in the French league.
Goals in each half from Egypt forward Kouka and Senegalese striker Issa Soumaré – his first for the club – helped Le Havre end its nine-game winless run across all competitions and climb off the bottom of the table until Sunday at least, when fellow struggler Montpellier visits Strasbourg.
Lille substitute Chuba Akpom scored on his league debut in the seventh minute of stoppage time but it was too little, too late for the home team.
Lille has exceeded expectations in the Champions League, where it last week thrashed Feyenoord 6-1 to qualify directly for the knockout phase. It followed that by rallying from a goal down to beat St. Etienne 4-1 in the French league’s 20th round last weekend.
On Tuesday, the team squandered a 2-0 lead against second-tier Dunkerque in the French Cup, before losing the penalty shootout.
Lille dropped to fifth in the French league on Saturday after its fourth defeat of the season.
Nice moves up to third
Earlier Saturday, Nice capitalized on Monaco’s defeat the night before to move third with a 2-0 win over 10-man Lens.
Ill-discipline cost the visitors dearly as Adrien Thomasson conceded an early penalty for a foul on Hicham Boudaoui. Gaëtan Laborde duly scored from the spot.
Lens defender Fucundo Medina was sent off with his second yellow card in the 57th and Jonathan Clauss sealed the win against his ex-club seven minutes later.
Monaco lost 4-1 at league leader Paris Saint-Germain on Friday.
Rennes back in business under Beye
Rennes substitute Mahamadou Nagida scored late to seal a 2-0 win at Saint-Etienne in the late game, giving the team’s new coach, Habib Beye, two wins from two games in charge.
Nagida, a 19-year-old defender from Cameroon, scored almost immediately after entering in the 84th minute for his second goal in as many appearances. He didn’t play in the win over Strasbourg last weekend, but scored the previous weekend in a 3-2 loss at Monaco.
Arnaud Kalimuendo’s early goal got Rennes off the mark at Saint-Etienne. (AP)