FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Europa Conference League - Round of 16 - First Leg - SK Sturm Graz v Lille - Merkur Arena, Graz, Austria - March 7, 2024 Lille's Edon Zhegrova celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File Photo
LILLE, France (Reuters) - Two goals from Edon Zhegrova earned Lille a 2-1 home win over RC Lens in the Derby du Nord on Friday, to move them provisionally into third place in Ligue 1.
Lille are on 46 points, overtaking AS Monaco on goal difference who are away to Metz on Saturday, and one point behind Brest who play Lorient on Sunday. Lens remain sixth on 42 points.
The home side soaked up the early Lens pressure before opening the scoring in the ninth minute. Nabil Bentaleb floated a long pass which Zhegrova controlled perfectly before taking the ball into the area and firing past Brice Samba.
Lens looked in further trouble when Facundo Medina was shown the red card for a foul on Zhegrova in the 34th minute, but a VAR check overturned the decision. For all their effort, the visitors were unable to get a shot on target in the first half.
Zhegrova doubled Lille's lead on the hour mark. Gabriel Gudmundsson went past Przemyslaw Frankowski on the left wing, made his way into the box and when Samba saved his effort with an outstretched leg, Zhegrova was there to convert the rebound.
Lens pulled a goal back with 12 minutes left to play, Elye Wahi collecting a pass from Medina and his left footed shot beat Lucas Chevalier for his fifth goal in his last six games, but they were unable to find an equaliser.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes)
