(Ligue 1 2023/2024): Highlights LOSC LILLE - RC LENS

A place in the top four was at stake on Friday night, Lille versus Lens, kicking off round 27, a hotly anticipated derby d'honneur. The host started in fourth, a point above Nice and Lens, Leçon et Or meanwhile needed to bounce back, suffering a home defeat by Les Aiglons just before the international break, and yet Adon Zagrova had the ball on a string, Brice Samba on the deck, brilliant skills from a player who's been a bright star all season. Lille with an early advantage on the Kosovan internationals, fifth goal of the season, it wasn't done, creating more danger, Gabriel Kamunson came into the starting lineup ahead of injured Angel Gomez, picking out Jonathan David. 15 goals already this calendar year, means the Canadian is Europe's informed striker, but it was Zagrova who was the difference at the break. The fans certainly enjoying themselves, particularly at the Stade Pierre Maurois, taking more points at home than any other side. It was only looking worse for Racing, staring down the barrel of back-to-back defeats, when Zagrova tapped into an unguarded net, Kamunson with the initial strike, Samba, the look of pain as Zagrova got his second, a brace, Hadlons bracing themselves for a painful defeat, they gave themselves some hope, LEY was surprisingly on the bench, with Wesley Saeed favoured, stepped up to half the deficit, but in the end it was too little, too late, Lille advancing towards the podium, Long's with work to do after back-to-back league defeats either side of the international break.