PLAYER RATINGS | Lille 3-2 Sturm Graz: Super sub Hákon Haraldsson spares Lille’s blushes | OneFootball

Champions League, Round 6, 11/12/2024

Lille OSC would once again be meeting Austria’s SK Sturm Graz in a European competition. The two had met previously in last season’s Europa Conference League when Lille came out the better side in the Round of 16 winning (4-1 on aggregate). It would be a familiar outcome as Les Dogues avoided dropping points with a late winner from the substitute Hákon Arnar Haraldsson (3-2)

The Match

Lille set the tempo from the opening exchanges as they pushed high up the pitch. Les Dogues held a stranglehold on the ball. Quick passing moves teased and tested a Sturm Graz defence that was forced to fortify their box. Clever interchanges saw Ismaily’s on the overlap, where he pinged a pass across goal which Jonathan David was slow to react to.

Sturm Graz were provided with a big let-off when Osame Sahraoui was brought down in the box. A penalty was awarded but the referee after consulting VAR went against his onfield decision believing Niklas Geyrhofer’s push in the back was not significant enough. Lille would have to wait until the 37th minute to open proceedings.

A poor corner routine which failed to beat the first man was capitalised on by Lille who attacked swiftly on the counter. Osame Sahraoui slipped into the box and fired from a tight angle to score his first for Les Dogues. Shortly before half-time, Lille would make it two as a mix-up in defending saw the ball run to Mitchel Bakker who poked his shot past Daniil Khudyakov.

On the stroke of half-time, Sturm Graz would respond. Against the run of play the Austrians found the back of the net. A speculative cross was poorly dealt with by Ayyoub Bouaddi and would be edged on by Tochi Chukwuani to Otar Kiteishvili. The Georgian fired into the top corner to put pressure on what had been a comfortable evening for Les Dogues.

Lille’s lead would slip away as Sturm Graz equalised in the 47th minute. It was another mistake from Bouaddi who was muscled off the ball in the middle of the park. The Austrians swept forward with William Bøvine’s low cross finding Mika Biereth with a clear sight of goal. The Lille teenager was taken off shortly afterwards.

Les Dogues were on the back foot as their recent trend of throwing away leads came back to bite them. However, they would slowly settle their nerves. Bruno Génésio has during his short stint in charge of the club shown his ability to change a game with his well-timed substitutes and tonight would be no different as David would find the late entrant Hákon Arnar Haraldsson to fire a powerful effort past Khudyakov to win the game.

An important result for Lille which sends the club temporarily up to 6th in the table as they etch closer to qualification to the knockout rounds.

Lille Player Ratings

Lucas Chevalier – 5

Ismaily – 6

Alexsandro – 5

Bafodé Diakité – 5

Thomas Meunier – 7

Ayyoub Bouaddi – 3

From an assured performance to a disaster. The teenager has generally met every task he’s faced at Lille with aplomb. However, it was a rare poor showing as showed signs of his inexperience and slight frame. The midfielder was at fault for both goals that Lille conceded putting the hosts under pressure in a night that had looked so comfortable for the majority of the first half.

Benjamin André – 5

Osame Sahraoui – 7

Rémy Cabella – 5

Mitchel Bakker – 7

The wing-back has not often played as a winger for Lille this season. He has generally had more defensive roles. However, tonight it was his attacking ability that would be under the microscope as he filled in for an injured Edon Zhegrova. Bakker generally did well despite at times looking like an awkward fit. He recorded the second goal and had a few chances to add to his season tally.

Jonathan David – 6

The forward had a frustrating evening where he couldn’t quite stamp his name on the evening. He had a lot of good interplay with his teammates throughout the game, but his shots never found the mark meaning the visitors often were left unpunished. It would be as a facilitator that he would impact the game, the striker finding Haraldsson (like against Brest) to help win the game.

Selected Sturm Graz Player Ratings

Daniil Khudyakov – 5

Otar Kiteishvili – 6

Mika Biereth – 6

A quiet evening for the dangerman as Sturm Graz struggled to get a consistent share of the ball meaning he and Bøvine (6) often looked isolated. However, he was in the right position at the right time to damage Lille’s hopes.

GFFN | Nick Hartland