Lille headed into their Ligue 1 game against Lorient seeking an away win that would put them level on points with Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille at the top of the table.
However, Rudi Garcia's side lost 2-0 at Stade du Moustoir, thanks to goals from Gregory Bourillon and Benjamin Corgnet.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by minute live commentary below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole’s live minute-by-minute text commentary of the Ligue 1 game between Lorient and Lille tonight. It promises to be an exciting game of football and you can follow all the action here.
Heading into tonight’s encounter at Stade du Moustoir, visitors Lille find themselves just three points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille in seventh. Rudi Garcia’s side can actually go second on goal difference tonight if they win by a three-goal margin or more.
On the other hand, Lorient are in 11th place with 15 points from 12 matches, just four points above the relegation zone. The hosts have not won in their last seven Ligue 1 matches and have conceded 19 goals during that period.
Speaking ahead of the game, Lorient coach Christian Gourcuff called on his side to absolutely win this game: ”The situation that we are currently experiencing is difficult for everyone. These are shortcomings and scenarios that repeat themselves, confidence crumbles causing some weakness within the group. We must get out of this spiral. It is no longer a question of will but a question of means and confidence. We must say that we are here to play for survival. You must have appropriate behaviour in this situation. We must find a competitive spirit. A win would put the fire out and regain confidence until the return of key players. In any season, there are difficult passages with absences needing to be managed. It is imperative to stop this downward spiral.''.
Meanwhile, Garcia admits that he is not taking Lorient as easy pushovers: ”You never know how Lorient will be on the pitch - supercharged or in doubt. Lorient are capable of destabilising many teams but it does not change anything for us. If you want to stay in contact with the best, you have to be able to get points.''
Lorient Starting Lineup: Audard, Kone, Bourillon, Le Lan, Baca, Romao, Jouffre, Monnet-Paquet, Lautoa, Corgnet, Aliadiere
Lille Starting Lineup: Landreau, Debuchy, Bonnart, Chedjou, Basa, Balmont, Pedretti, Mavuba, Payet, Kalou, Roux
Lorient’s last game ended in a 4-0 defeat to Bordeaux at home and they will be keen to get maximum points tonight.
On the other hand, Lille defeated Brest at home in their last Ligue 1 game, Salomon Kalou scoring the only goal of the game.
The game is around 15 minutes away from kickoff, so stay tuned to this page to catch all the action live.
The players will come on to the pitch in a few minutes now...
It’s five minutes to kickoff and the atmosphere is building up nicely.
The players are now on the pitch and the game is about to start.
And here we kick off proceedings...
It has been a bright start from both sides, as the crowd is in full voice.
Brilliant attacking move from Lorient. The hosts conceive the attack on the left and the ball is then spread wide to Yann Jouffre on the right. The midfielder cuts inside but his eventual cross is disappointing and the visitors clear the ball away with ease in the end.
Both sides are going at each other, and there is virtually nothing to separate them really.
Remember, Lille can go level on points with leaders Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille tonight if they win against Lorient.
Jeremie Aliadiere is sent through on goal down the right flank, but he is adjudged to be in an offside position.
Mathieu Debuchy is injured at the moment and has to leave the pitch. He is back up on his feet, so he should be able to carry on playing.
There has not been any proper chance in this match really, I have to say. Both sides have started the encounter brightly, but both are lacking imagination in the final third.
Dimitri Payet tries to march down through the middle to latch on to a ball sent over the top, but he is surrounded by three Lorient defenders and easily gets dispossessed.
I have not seen much of Salomon Kalou in this match really. He has been largely anonymous for Lille so far.
Yellow card to Lorient defender Maxine Baca for a challenge on Kalou on the left flank just as the Lille forward was sent through on goal.
Free kick to the visitors from a dangerous position. Payet swings in the delivery and aims at goal, but Lorient goalkeeper Fabien Audard claims the ball with ease.
Lille seem to have gained the upperhand in this encounter in the last few minutes, as they are forcing Lorient to fall back and defend.
GOAL Gregory Bourillon scores and makes it 1-0 to Lorient! Yann Jouffre floats in a delightful free kick from the right flank that Bourillon heads home from close range.
Lille almost peg back Lorient, as Payet gallops down the right but Baca makes a good challenge and clears the ball for a corner, that yields nothing productive for the visitors.
Kalou earns a corner for Lille as his intended cross from the left side of the Lorient penalty area and is deflected out. However, the corner yields nothing again as it is safely headed away by the home side’s defence.
Half an hour gone in this match, and it is 1-0 to Lorient, thanks to a 24th minute goal from Gregory Bourillon.
Yellow card to Lamine Kone of Lorient now for his challenge on Payet. So two Lorient defenders have been cautioned so far.
It has been an enjoyable game of football, but there has not been much spark or edge to it really. The two teams seem to lack that magic a football match needs - or the X-Factor if you will - to make it thoroughly engaging for the neutrals.
Yellow card is shown to Mathieu Debuchy now. Free kick to Lorient in a dangerous position from around 25 yards.
WOW! Mickael Landreau is forced to make a double save from that free kick there!
And now Fabien Audard makes a good save between the Lorient posts as he keeps out a curling effort from Kalou.
Five minutes to half-time, and Lorient lead Lille 1-0. The pace of the game has picked up and it is very intense.
Corner to Lorient on the stroke of half-time. Can they double their advantage now?
OH! Lorient go so agonisingly close to scoring their second goal as Jouffre’s shot rolls across from the face of an open goal!
It is half-time at Stade du Moustoir and it is 1-0 to Lorient. In what was an entertaining but not overwhelmingly intense first half, Gregory Bourillon scored the only goal in the 24th minute when he headed home Yann Jouffre’s free kick.
Stay tuned to this page for all the second-half action. It promises to be a cracking second 45 minutes, and you wouldn’t want to miss it.
And the second-half action begins...
Kevin Monnet-Paquet goes close for Lorient rightaway, as he shoots at goal from a narrow angle on the left but fails to find the target.
PAYET! Lille craft an attacking move down the right flank and Debuchy whips in a cross that Payet tries to turn towards goal, but he fails to keep his attempt on target.
AUDARD! What a brilliant save from the Lorient goalkeeper! Aurelien Chedjou heads towards goal from close range, but his attempt is saved brilliantly by the home side’s custodian.
Lille continue to attack, as Kalou earns a corner. The corner is taken, and Benoit Pedretti shoots at goal from outside the area but it goes narrowly wide. That was a ferocious shot from the Lille midfielder.
Lille are looking very, very dangerous at the moment, as they are asserting themselves on Lorient. They are 1-0 down and they look desperate to find the equaliser as soon as possible.
PAYET! Oh, how could he miss that! Kalou slips in a brilliant pass to Payet, whose attempt on goal is parried by Audard, who is then forced to make another good save from a shot from distance.
Brilliant defence there from Maxine Baca, who dispossess Kalou inside his own penalty area neatly. Baca has been one of the best players on the pitch tonight.
It is all Lille at the moment with Lorient struggling to get the ball out of their own half!
PAYET! The Lille attackers takes a whip at the ball from outside the Lorient penalty box, but his attempt is off target and does not trouble Fabien Audard in the Lorient goal.
Half an hour remain in this game. It is 1-0 to Lorient at the moment.
The crowd is in full voice tonight, as Lorient seem to have stabilised themselves and are pushing off the advances of Lille.
Lille coach Rudi Garcia is going to make a change now in an effort to find the equaliser.
OH! HOW CLOSE WAS THAT! Jeremie Aliadiere finds himself with a loose ball inside the Lille penalty area and takes a snapshot that goes just wide. Mickael Landreau was beaten there, I must say.
SUBSTITUTION. Lille make that change I was talking about moments ago. Nolan Roux goes off and in his place comes Tulio De Melo.
GOAL Benjamin Corgnet scores and makes it 2-0 to Lorient! Jeremie Aliadiere is the creator-in-chief of the goal as he slips a pass to the right that Corgnet latches on to and shoots home from close range.
Another change for Lille. Idrissa Gana Gueye comes on in place of Benoit Pedretti.
Lille have a free kick on the left flank that is floated in and Tulio De Melo heads it towards the Lorient goal, but cannot keep it on target.
Lorient seem to have wrapped up the game now. I really cannot see Lille scoring twice in the final 15 minutes of this match.
I can see that Lille are going to make another substitution soon. I think it will be Viktor Klonaridis who will come on.
HOW COULD HE MISS THAT! Kevin Monnet-Paquet is brilliantly sent through on goal by Benjamin Corgnet but his shot is turned out for a corner by Landreau. That was probably the save of the game.
Ten minutes of normal time remain in this match. Lorient are 2-0 up and look to be on course to bag maximum points from this Ligue 1 fixture.
Florent Balmont becomes the third Lille player after Mathieu Debuchy and Salomon Kalou to go into the referee’s book.
Lille make their third and final change of the game. Viktor Klonaridis comes on for Florent Balmont.
First change for Lorient now. Enzo Reale comes on for Alaixys Romao.
Five minutes of normal time remain for Lille to score two goals. Can they? Probably not...
Good chance there for Lille. Kalou releases Payet down the right flank who then cuts inside, but is eventually dispossessed inside the Lorient penalty box. The loose ball falls to De Melo, who earns a corner that yields nothing productive in the end for the visitors.
Another change for Lorient. Mathias Autret comes on for Yann Jouffre.
Three minutes of injury time have been awarded.
Aliadiere tries to put his name on the scoreseet as he shoots at the Lille goal from outside the box, but his attempt sails high and wide.
De Melo makes an attempt on the Lorient goal again, this time with a header, but once again fails to test Audard.
It’s all over as Lorient have defeated Lille 2-0 in their Ligue 1 game. Gregory Bourillon gave the hosts the lead in the 24th minute and Benjamin Corgnet wrapped up the points with his side’s second on 69 minutes.
I hope that you enjoyed our live coverage of the match. Have a good night. It’s goodbye from me for now.
I hope that you enjoyed our live coverage of the match. Have a good night. It’s goodbye from me for now.
