Lille end unwanted Ligue 1 record through Champions League qualification | OneFootball

Not only did Lille OSC secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League proper in a nervy encounter against Slavia Prague in Czechia (1-2, agg. 3-2) on Wednesday night, they also brought an end to an unwanted Ligue 1 record.

LOSC held a 2-0 advantage going into the second leg in Prague, however, qualification was anything but simple. After conceding an early goal through Christofos Zafeiris, they had to suffer for large periods as they struggled to match the intensity of the home side.

Edon Zhegrova’s stunning strike from outside the box looked to have secured Les Dogues’ progression, however, they had to survive a late onslaught after Ivan Schranz halved the deficit with a close-range finish. However, Bruno Genesio’s side did hold on, qualifying for the Champions League league phase.

Lille also became the first team since AS Monaco back in the 2016/17 season to qualify for the Champions League via the play-offs. It is a hurdle that OGC Nice, Monaco (twice), and Olympique de Marseille have failed to pass in recent years. They are also only the second French team since 2012 to achieve the feat.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle