Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Matchday 4, September 14, 2025
Lille OSC secured a dramatic late victory against ten-man Toulouse FC, with goals from Nabil Bentaleb and Ethan Mbappé in the dying minutes canceling out Frank Magri’s second-half strike, earning the “Mastiffs” all three points.
The Match Highlights
As anticipated, Lille dominated possession at their home stadium. The players in red shirts aimed to keep the ball contained within Toulouse`s half, a task made easier by the visitors` insistence on playing out from the back. Lille was able to press high, with the soon-to-be 39-year-old Olivier Giroud demonstrating that age is merely a number as he led the attacking line.
Lille created numerous opportunities, registering 12 shots towards Toulouse’s goal, yet only one found the target, indicating their struggle to truly test Guillaume Restes. The best chance of the first half fell to Ngal’ayel Mukau when Romain Perraud spotted his late run into the box and delivered an inviting cross. However, Mukau’s shot was poor and sailed over the bar.
Lille’s defense has been plagued by injuries this season, and another setback occurred before halftime when Alexsandro was forced off the pitch. The defender, just minutes after a clash of heads, pulled up short off the ball and was replaced by Chancel Mbemba. Alexsandro had been a surprising choice for this match, especially considering Bruno Génésio’s warnings about injury concerns following his recent return from international duty with Brazil.
Mirroring their last match before the international break (where they scored seven second-half goals against Lorient), Lille emerged after halftime with renewed aggression. Perraud, once again lively, found Giroud in the box; the striker fired a low shot to the left, forcing Restes into a reflex save. Nevertheless, it was Toulouse who drew first blood.
Yann Gboho unleashed a long-range shot that was redirected by center-back Charlie Cresswell. The Englishman’s header was tipped onto the crossbar by Berke Özer’s impressive diving save. The Lille goalkeeper fell to the ground as the rebound landed at the feet of Frank Magri, who headed the ball into an open net, registering his second goal of the season.
Lille brought on their summer signing Hamza Igamane for Mukau; the former Rangers player appeared to make an immediate impact when Lille launched a counter-attack. Félix Correia found his fellow summer signing, releasing him into space. Igamane advanced, accompanied by Matias Fernandez-Pardo, but chose to shoot himself. His shot was weak and rolled towards his teammate, who finished, but from an offside position.
Toulouse was forced to play the final ten minutes with ten men after VAR advised the referee to review substitute Alexis Vossah’s late studs-up tackle on Benjamin André. The referee promptly upgraded the yellow card to a red. VAR once again came to Lille’s rescue when it spotted Rasmus Nicolaisen’s handball in the box. Substitute Nabil Bentaleb took the ball and, after a lengthy delay, leveled the scores from the penalty spot.
Another substitute would prove to be the hero when Ethan Mbappé latched onto Osame Sahraoui’s cross in the eighth minute of added time. The younger brother of his more famous sibling didn`t bother taking a touch, volleying the ball home to score his first Ligue 1 goal, netting the winner, and breaking Toulouse’s hearts.
Lille Player Ratings
- Berke Özer – 6
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Romain Perraud – 7
He appears to be an excellent signing. The former Southampton man was constantly looking to find his teammates in the box, though he was often let down by inaccurate finishing. He had a really good game. -
Alexsandro – 5
Replaced in the first half by Chancel Mbemba (5). - Nathan Ngoy – 5
- Aïssa Mandi – 5
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Ngal’ayel Mukau – 4
A somewhat disappointing performance from the midfielder. He struggled to get into the game, and when given a chance to give Lille the lead, he rushed the opportunity and scuffed his shot. It was no surprise that he was substituted with his team chasing the game. Replaced by Hamza Igamane in the 61st minute. - Benjamin André – 6
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Félix Correia – 6
Replaced by Osame Sahraoui in the 81st minute. -
Ayyoub Bouaddi – 4
Replaced by Nabil Bentaleb in the 81st minute. -
Matias Fernandez-Pardo – 4
Replaced by Ethan Mbappé in the 81st minute. -
Olivier Giroud – 5
An effective performance, even if he didn`t manage to get on the scoresheet. His work off the ball remains very good and was a significant factor in Lille`s suffocating first-half display. He also had a few dangerous moments with which he likely wishes he had done better.
Toulouse Player Ratings
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Guillaume Restes – 6
The goalkeeper generally had a good performance and managed to thwart Lille’s attempts until the penalty. Restes will be annoyed that he allowed the penalty past him, especially since it was low and he guessed the correct side Bentaleb would choose. -
Rasmus Nicolaisen – 3
For the majority of the match, Toulouse’s backline delivered a solid performance. However, the captain let the team down with his handball. The Toulouse players expressed their displeasure to the referee after the match, but it was a crucial moment that allowed Lille back into the game. - Charlie Cresswell – 6
- Mark McKenzie – 5
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Dayann Methalie – 5
Replaced by Dijbril Sidibé in the 89th minute. - Cristian Cásseres Jr. – 6
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Abu Francis – 6
Replaced by Alexis Vossah in the 72nd minute. -
Aron Dønnum – 5
The wing-back/winger has consistently been a frustrating player for Toulouse, possessing the potential to be one of their most threatening. His movement and game reading are excellent, often positioning him in dangerous areas. He had several clear chances to double the lead when the score was 1-0, but once again, his finishing was not up to standard. - Yann Gboho – 5
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Frank Magri – 5
Replaced by Mário Sauer in the 89th minute. -
Santiago Hidalgo – 5
Replaced by Rafik Messali in the 55th minute (who was in turn replaced by Warren Kamanzi in the 72nd minute).
