Veteran striker OlivierGiroud was the protagonist of a Northern derby that was decided in the last minute. At the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille beat Lens 1-0 thanks to a goal from Giroud in the 87th minute, allowing them to climb to second place in Ligue1 with 18 points, just two behind the leader, PSG.
The match, which was played on Friday, October 30, 2026, saw Lille and Lens face off in a contest that appeared to end in a goalless draw. The 40-year-old French striker entered the field in the 73rd minute and took advantage of a rebound from RobinRisser, who had maintained equality with several key interventions. Giroud deviated from the Lens defense and placed the ball in the net, giving the victory to DavideAncelotti's team and unleashing euphoria among the Lille fans.
With this victory, Lille is two points behind PSG, which remains at the top after a goalless victory against LeHavre, where its defense, led by Hakimi, showed an outstanding performance with a hat-trick and two assists. Lens, for its part, saw its streak of three consecutive victories interrupted and remains eighth in the table with 13 points.
Giroud's goal not only secured Lille's victory, but also consolidated their position in second place in the league. Ancelotti's team must now maintain the pace to get closer to the leader, while PSG will continue to look to widen the gap. Lens, after the defeat, will have to rethink its strategy to recover the winning streak and improve its position in the table.