The Albany Gazette - Lille held to draw by late Nice goal in Ligue 1

Tom Louchet slotted home deep in injury time to deny the visitors a win that would have taken them above Marseille and into the automatic Champions League qualification spots.

Lille led twice in the match but were pegged back on both occasions by Nice, who now have five draws in their 11 league outings and are yet to lose at home this season.

Matias Fernandez-Pardo broke the deadlock inside the opening 20 minutes, before Sofiane Diop levelled early in the second period.

Mitchel Bakker sent the Dogues back in front after the hour but Nice struck back in the final moments to keep Lille fourth on 19 points.

Nice are one place behind them in the table on 17, after a stuttering start to the campaign.

Fernandez-Pardo opened the scoring in the 17th minute when he whipped a shot past Marcin Bulka at his near post following a marauding run up the left flank.

Nice dominated possession for the rest of the half but did not make it count as half-time substitute Diop levelled 11 minutes after his introduction.

Bakker restored Lille's advantage on 66 minutes with a swept finish after Benjamin Andre showed good composure to pick him out in the box as his earlier effort came straight back off the post to him.

With the clock ticking down and Lille seemingly set for victory and to leapfrog Marseille into third, Nice loaded the box in one last desperate attempt to get something from the game.

The ball narrowly cleared Nice goalkeeper Bulka's head as he attempted to get on the scoresheet and ricocheted to Louchet on the edge of the box, who fired across goal and into the bottom corner to snatch a draw.

Later, Lyon host Saint-Etienne as "Le Derby" makes its return to Ligue 1 following Saint-Etienne's promotion from the second division last season.

(W.Williams--TAG)