Nigerian striker Chuba Akpom continued his impressive form, scoring for the second consecutive game to help Lille secure a 2-0 victory over Rennes at the Roazhon Park on Sunday.
Lille were under pressure to win, having suffered a shocking cup defeat to Dunkerque and a home league loss to Le Havre. The team’s poor form had raised concerns among fans and pundits alike, and coach Bruno Genesio was eager to get his team back on track.
Chuba Akpom, who scored Lille’s only goal against Le Havre, was given his first start since joining the team in January, and he almost repaid the coach’s trust with a penalty on the stroke of halftime. However, his penalty was saved, and the game remained goalless at halftime.
Despite the missed opportunity, Lille continued to push forward, creating several scoring chances in the second half. In the 67th minute, Akpom thought he had made amends for his penalty miss with a goal, but it was overturned for offside after a VAR review.
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Akpom’s persistence paid off, however, as he was involved in the incident that led to Rennes’ Christopher Wooh being sent off for a foul. The red card gave Lille the advantage they needed, and they capitalized on it clinically. With a man down, Rennes struggled to contain Lille’s attack, and the home side took full advantage.
Nabil Bentaleb broke the deadlock in the 80th minute, scoring a crucial goal that gave Lille the lead. Chuba Akpom then sealed the win for Lille with his second-half strike, securing a 2-0 victory for the home side.
The victory propelled Lille to fifth place on the Ligue 1 table with 40 points from 22 games. With the win, Lille will be looking to build on this momentum when they host Monaco on Saturday, February 22, aiming to secure back-to-back victories. A win against Monaco would be a significant boost for Lille, who are eager to climb the Ligue 1 table and secure an European spot.
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