Nolan Roux scored twice as Lille beat Monaco 2-0 in Ligue 1 this evening.
The home side go above the wealthy Monaco following the win after a performance that was built on defensive solidity and excellent counter-attacking.
Roux scored the opener on 26 minutes and added the second on 71 minutes, while Vicent Enyeama made a string of superb saves in the Lille goal to keep Claudio Ranieri's side at bay.
See how it all unfolded in our minute-by-minute live text commentary below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole’s live text commentary of AS Monaco’s clash against Lille in Ligue 1.
A win for Monaco takes them level on points with title rivals Paris Saint-Germain, but it would take a real hammering to take them above their title rivals.
A win by six goals or more would take Claudio Ranieri’s side above Laurent Blanc’s men.
A win against a side with the quality of Lille may seem unlikely though. We're just getting the team news now and there are changes aplenty for the visitors, so without further ado...
Lille: Enyeama; Kjaer, Sidibe, Souare, Basa; Balmont, Gueye, Mavuba; Kalou, Rodelin, Roux
Monaco: Subasic; Raggi, Kurzawa, Carvalho, Abidal; Toulalan, Obbadi, Moutinho, James, Carrasco; Falcao
Ranieri’s has made nine changes from the midweek Coupe de France defeat against Reims, there are recalls for the side’s stellar names, with Radamel Falcao, Joao Moutinho, James Rodrguez, Eric Abidal and Ricardo Carvalho all brought back in.
So Ranieri is really going for this tonight, but Lille has some quality of their own with the likes of Rio Mavuba and Salomon Kalou in their ranks.
Elsewhere in the French division today, Bordeaux overcame Nice 2-1, while Montpellier and Nantes played out a 1-1 draw.
Yesterday, Marseille drew 1-1 with Rennes, while Ajaccio were beaten 3-1 by Valenciennes. Evian edged out Toulouse 2-1 as Lyon beat Guingamp 2-0. Reims continued their good form by beating Bastia 4-2, while Sochaux and St Etienne finished a 0-0 draw with 10 men apiece.
Paris Saint-Germain ran out 4-0 winners against Lorient on Friday night, with goals from Lucas Moura, Jeremy Menez and a double from Edinson Cavani.
Looking around the rest of Europe for a moment, Everton drew 0-0 with Tottenham Hotspur, while Cardiff City overcame their fierce rivals Swansea City 1-0 in the first ever Welsh derby in the Premier League.
In the Bundesliga, Augsburg beat Main 2-1, while Werder Bremen overcame Hannover 3-2. In Italy, there were plenty of games and Inter Milan beat Udinese 3-0, as Genoa shocked Lazio 2-0 at the Stadio Olympico. Livorno beat Atlanta 1-0 and Sassulo squeezed past Sampdoria 4-3.
Verona beat Cagliari 3-1 and Roma are currently goalless against Torino as they bid to make it 11 straight wins in Serie A.
Finally, in La Liga this evening, Valencia edged out Getafe 1-0, while Atletico Madrid continued their good form with a 2-0 win against Athletic Bilbao. Levante are currently goalless with Granada after their second half was delayed due to floodlight trouble and Malaga and Real Betis kick off shortly.
We're about five minutes away from kick off at Lille Metropole.
Chelsea winger Eden Hazard has returned to his old club to watch tonight's match. He of course, is a crowd favourite.
The two teams are about to emerge from the tunnel. Plenty of interest in this game, with big spending Monaco now creating a buzz throughout Europe for spending £140m-plus this summer.
The two teams are running through the handshake formalities, we're just moments away here.
Hazard is given a great reception as he brings the match ball into the centre circle.
KICKOFF we're off and running here.
Nearly a chance for Kalou as he steals in before Subasic dives on a long punt. The Ivorian was nearly in there. Lapse in concentration from the visitors defence.
Obbadi brings down Mavuba about 40 yards out. Silly tackle really. Lille load the box and the header loops over the bar and onto the top of the net from Souare.
Lille have been tenacious in every challenge so far this evening. They're determined not to let the visitors settle on the ball. It will be hard to keep up for the full game though.
Moutinho steadies himself and fires a shot at goal from the edge of the box but it is beaten away by the goalkeeper.
Carvalho goes up for a header with Roux and leads with his left arm. The Lille striker goes down in a heap and the referee has a word with the Portuguese defender.
Carvalho goes in hard on Roux again, this time with a sliding tackle. The forward is down again, but this was a good ball-winning tackle from the former Chelsea man.
So far the game has been notable for the amount of fouls that have been committed. Not a lot in terms of actual football so far.
A freekick comes in and Falcao, who is back to defend it for Monaco takes a swipe at it and doesn't get it clear at all. Lille cannot make anything of it though out wide.
A nice bit of passing opens up Lille and Monaco win a throw up high up the pitch to relieve some pressure. Rodriguez and Toulalan play a nice exchange and give it to Falcao and the striker wins a corner eventually.
Balmont is playing with a dislocated finger out there. That must be painful, he left the pitch to have it put back into place.
Lille have been the better side here, but neither side has created anything of note.
Balmont sweeps in a corner, but it is cleared by the first man, but it comes back in and Kalou narrowly misses the cross. Great ball in.
Again, more poor tackles, this time it's Souare on Obbadi. The left back leads with his left arm as they jump for a long pass.
Kalou wants a penalty after winning it from Kurzawa inside the area, he tries to to tee up Roux but he's is bundles off it. It would have been a soft one. He slipped more than anything.
Kurzawa embarks on a strong run down the left, but Carrasco is taken down off the ball. Freekick to Monaco wide left. James Rodriguez to deliver. It is cleared by the home side.
Falcao almost gets in behind Kjaer after Rodriguez clips it inside the area, but the Danish defender does well to turn it away before the Colombian fouls him.
GOAL! Lille 1-0 Monaco (Roux)
Baso jumps above Toulalan from the corner and Roux turns it home two yards out with his right knee. Good corner from Balmont. Lille lead.
Lille are looking for a second and Roux fires a shot into the side netting but the referee brings it back for a handball before the goalscorer got the shot off.
It will be interesting to see how Monaco respond. This is a big test of their title credentials, as Lille do not concede too many goals.
Monaco are nearly caught out with a good old fashioned long punt. Kalous ran onto it but the defence got back in time. The ball just wouldn't come down quick enough for him.
Carrasco finds some space inside, but his shot is closed down well by Mavuba, and the effort is tame from 25-yards.
The game almost resembling a tennis match here. Both teams knocking it forward and getting it straight back until a foul is committed on the half way line.
CHANCE! Kjaer with a sloppy backpass and Enyeama has to race out and his clearance reahces Falcao who shoots first time with the keeper out, but his 25-yard effort goes over. Careless from the defender, well done to the goalkeeper.
CHANCE! A low ball across the box, and Kalou tries to get on the end of it, but it just evades him. He goes down under the challenge of the keeper. A blatant dive once he realised he wouldn't get the ball. Should have been booked.
Despite the array of names on display here, the visitors are struggling. They have created little and their best chance came from a mistake from Simon Kjaer.
Abidal is nearly hounded out of it by Kalou again, but the defender somehow keeps the ball by moving with his head on the floor. Great play from the France international.
Sidibe's shot is blocked on the edge of the box and Lille work it wide for Roux and his cross is palmed away by Subasic. The keeper didn't look comfortable there.
Moutinho dinks in a freekick for Falcao, but it is meat and drink for Enyeama. He gathers and begins an attack for his side. Not much happeneing for the visitors here. We're nearly at half time.
Falcao almost sneaks inside the box after Carrasco releases him but he is offisde and that is the last action of the half.
HALF TIME: Lille 1-0 Monaco
It has hardly been a classic, but Lille deserve their lead. They have not allowed the wealthy visitors any time on the ball, and Mavuba and Balmont has been exceptional in midfield.
As a said earlier, this is a big test of Monaco's title credentials. A comeback would send a statement out to Paris Saint-Germain, but Lille do not concede many, and now they have the lead, they'll want to close this game out.
You'd have to think that Ranieri's side can carve out one or two chances in the second half though, and in Falcao they have one of the most deadly strikers in world football.
UPDATE: Elsewhere around Europe this evening, Roma are closing in on an 11th straight Serie A win against Torino, while Malaga and Real Betis are drawing 1-1 in La Liga.
Rene Girad will be really pleased with his side's first half display. They have defended really well and caused problems up front. Their goal was a bit of scrambled effort, but they will bot care one iota about that.
I mentioned about Lille's ability to close games out, they have conceded just four goals this season, so it will be a difficult task ahead of Monaco as they try to turn it around in the second half.
Emmanuel Riviere looks as though he is coming on for Monaco. He will provide an injection of pace down the left hand side. That could mean Carrasco is making way.
KICKOFF I can confirm that Riviere has come on. We're on and running again.
Sidibe charges down the right and plays it back to Balmont who delivers a cross, but it evades everyone and goes out for a goalkick. Good running from the full back initially though.
Mavuba wins it back from Rodriguez and the Colombian midfielder kicks the Lille captain when trying to win it again. He has been excellent tonight the skipper.
Again, it's strong from Lille's midfield, as Balmont muscles Falcao off the ball to break down the play. Monaco look to have some fire in their bellies though. They have started positively.
Astonishing stat about the number of games Eric Abidal and Ricardo Carvalho have played; 1140 games between them for club and country. Over 30 trophies between them too I believe.
Carvalho's error gives it to Roux to leave it two-vs-two at the back 40 yards from goal but Abidal does well to sweep up the danger. Good defending from the Frenchman.
Big call from the referee as Kurzawa goes down inside the area, there's a tangle of legs between him and Sidibe and you have to say it is a let off for Lille. That looked a penalty. Rodriguez played in Kurzawa with a through ball, and he has been much-improved this half.
Moutinho decides to clip a straight ball into the box instead of releasing his full back, who had made a great run down the right. Raggi was furious with his teammate's decision there.
Lille appear to have settled now. They're knocking it about nicely now, although they have yet to threaten Moncao's goal this half.
Disastrous corner from Moutinho hits the first man, who couldn't have been more than 10 yards away. His second delivery is even worse, it goes right across the other side and Lille break up the right.
It's nice play between Raggi and Moutinho as the latter releases the full back with a backheel, but Mavuba is across to stop the move. He wins a throw in for his team with a strong tackle.
Oh, it is wasted by Gueye, as he wins it back in his own half before running 40 yards to deliver a poor pass to Balmont who had ran wide to offer himself up for a pass.
Panic amongst the Monaco defence as Abidal and Raggi swing legs at a teasing cross before the latter eventually concedes a corner. Balmont's centre is easily gathered by Subasic in the Monaco goal.
Another corner for Lille as Roux plays it off Raggi and Balmont almost scores straight from the corner as Subasic has to backtrack to tip over. The second one is more comfortable for the stopper who takes it easily.
CHANCE! Biggest chance of the game for Monaco goes begging as Riviere bears down on goal, but Enyeama is out to smother it and his shot hits the keeper's knee and bounces up and Lille clear it. Lovely move from Monaco, they'll need more of that in the final 25+ minutes.
Mavuba gifts it straight to Monaco on the edge of his own box but Riviere's shot hits Falcao and Mavuba clears with an acrobatic overhead.
CHANCE! Falcao somehow wriggles clear inside the box but his left foot shot is saved.
GOAL! Lille 2-0 Monaco (Roux)
What a counter attack! Kalou feeds Mavuba, who slides it across for Roux who taps it home. Second of the night for Roux. It all started from Enyeama's save moments earlier. Huge save. It could have been so different. You wouldn't bet against Lille now.
Kalou goes on a mazy run and hits a left foot shot at Subasic. A great run by the Ivorian there. This game has sprung into life the last few minutes.
Lille are heading for a 10th clean sheets in their opening 12 games here. Moutinho goes in the book for a cynical foul on Roux. He just clipped Roux's legs as he skipped past him.
SUB: Rodelin has come off for Meite.
It just has not happened for Monaco this evening. James Rodriguez tries a one-two after a decent dribble, but it is closed out. Excellent defending from Lille. They have been superb at the back all night, and indeed all season.
Here come Lille again! another counter-attack sees them progress down the right, but Roux strays offside for the cross.
Rodriguez skips away from Mavuba and his cross is met by Kurzawa who steadies himself and tries an overhead kick, but it hits Falcao and Lille smother it out.
SUB: Two-goal hero Roux is replaced by Ruiz for Lille.
SUB: Fabinho takes the place of Raggi for Monaco.
Fabinho delivers a good cross, but Falcao cannot swivel his head enough to get a good connection on it. It came at him too quick in fairness. It hasn't been the Colombian's finest night.
Kalou shows he's still full of running at the end. Runs up the wing and manages to hold onto it for a few seconds before he is surrounded and he loses it. Surely it is in the bag for Lille now?
Basa goes down injured under the challenge from Falcao. That looked sore. He is currently getting the heat-spray on his Achilles.
BOOKING: Falcao goes in the book for the tackle.
CHANCE! Magnificent double save from Enyeama. He beats away Falcao's effort but it falls straight to Riviere and he still manages to save the second effort despite being on the floor. Superb from the keeper. He has been excellent and deserves his clean sheet.
Falcao brings it down outside the area and hits a strong effort, but Enyeama tips it over the bar.
FULL TIME: Lille 2-0 Monaco
Textbook stuff from the home side. Solid at the back, a superb goalkeeping display and they converted their big chances. A big result for the home side, who will now believe that they can win Ligue 1.
Lille have gone second with that win, and it will have no doubt have sent a message out to the rest of Ligue 1.
Well that's all from me, I hope you have enjoyed this evening's commentary. Bye for now.
