Lille edge Rennes to stay on PSG’s heels

Paris, November 9 - Lille edged past Rennes 2-1 away to climb to second in Ligue 1, just two points behind European champions Paris Saint-Germain. Davide Ancelotti, the coach of Lille, has led the team to 21 points from 10 games, one ahead of Paris FC in third place. Italian Ancelotti, who took over in June, has made significant progress domestically despite recent Champions League setbacks.

Lille took the lead with a powerful shot from 19-year-old striker Soriba Diaoune in the 24th minute, and Nathan Ngoy sealed the victory with a decisive goal in the 68th minute, following a defensive blunder. Turkish goalkeeper Berke Ozer has only conceded seven goals and is set to represent his country against France on November 15.

Ancelotti praised Ozer's determination, stating that his desire for success can be the difference between winning and losing. Rennes, who suffered a 5-2 defeat at Nice last week, now sit eighth with 16 points, having struggled after an impressive start to the season. Lyon, another early leader, lost 2-0 at Brest earlier in the week and bid farewell to their coach Paulo Fonseca, who joined Sporting Lisbon.

Le Mans drew 1-1 with Monaco, while Le Havre was beaten 2-0 at home, placing them at the bottom of the table with just two points. Marseille secured a 2-1 victory away at Lens, extending their winning streak to five matches in a row, and climbed to fourth place with 18 points. Paris Saint-Germain, meanwhile, secured a 1-0 win over Troyes, maintaining their record of 11 consecutive victories across all competitions.