Lille drops points to set up tense final day
Lille heads into its final Ligue 1 match of the season with a slender one-point lead after they could only draw 0-0 at home to Saint-Etienne as nearest challenger Paris Saint-Germain was victorious.
Les Dogues were three points clear at the summit heading into Monday's (AEST) fixtures, knowing they could potentially seal the title on the day.
But their performance lacked lustre almost from start to finish, with Christophe Galtier's men unable to get a single shot on target in the first half.
Out of necessity Lille were rather more forceful in their attacking after the break, though their desperation translated to Zeki Celik appearing to dive in an attempt to win a penalty.
They then thought Jonathan David had been fouled in the box a few minutes later, though replays showed the contact was minimal.
A winner almost arrived in the 90th minute as Yusuf Yazici's free-kick went all the way through a crowd of players and appeared to be heading into the bottom-left corner, but Etienne Green in the Saint-Etienne net produced a remarkable save to tip it on to the post.
That was to be their last opportunity, meaning Lille go to Angers on the final day next Monday with the title race in the balance, just a point ahead of PSG.
It is the smallest lead held by the first-place team ahead of the final matchday of a Ligue 1 season since 2001-02, when Lens were a point clear of Lyon. The latter went on seal the title.
On the final day of the season, PSG will go to Brest while third-placed Monaco – which can still technically win the title as well – heads to Lens.
