Rudi Garcia’s Lille side picked up their first win of the Ligue 1 season with a strong second half performance against Sochaux at the Stadium Nord Lille Métropole, in a forgetful encounter.
Although Lille would edge the early stages of the game, it would be the visiting side that had the first real sight of goal, but Vaclav Sverkos slipped at the crucial moment as he readied to pull the trigger, affording Ludovic Butelle in the home goal a simple save.
The hosts lacked penetration, though Eden Hazard on the flank was causing Damien Perquis problems. On one occasion the young Belgian skipped away from his marker only to see his dangerous centre muffled by Teddy Richert.
Marvin Martin of the visiting side had an effort comfortably turned over by Butelle but it would be Belgian teenager Hazard who would continue to shine, his low drive scooped up by Richert.
A more purposeful Lille side emerged after the break, with an early shot from Rio Mavuba narrowly going over the bar. They came closer only a handful of minutes later, with a Pierre-Alain Frau cross dropping onto the visiting bar, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang couldn’t profit as much as he perhaps should have from a Aurelien Chedjou cross, sending his shot just wide.
Lille were in the ascendancy, but they were not particularly threatening so it was something of a surprise when Pierre-Alain Frau, on as a substitute, made a superb near-post burst and forced home Mathieu Debuchy’s centre.
This sparked the host’s creative juices, with Robert Vittek’s good run setting up Aubameyang to strike against the post before the same player headed narrowly over the top. The Gabon forward would go close in stoppage time, but the match was already won.