Thanks to the talent of its young people, Lille won in Bologna (2-1) on Wednesday with a double from a surprise guest, Ngal’ayel Mukau, taking a giant step towards the play-offs for reaching the eighth of the League champions.
With ten points, Losc, twelfth after five matches, is almost guaranteed to finish, at least, among the teams ranked between ninth and 24th at the end of the League Phase, at least if we are to believe the statistician Opta.
But Lille can even hope for better given their schedule: the reception of two seemingly weaker teams, Sturm Graz (29th) and Feyenoord (21st), including an immense challenge at Anfield against Liverpool.
If the northern club is there, it is mainly thanks to its prowess against Real Madrid (1-0), against Atlético (3-1) in the Spanish capital, and at home against Juve (1-1 ).
That was the point of this trip to the Renato Dall’Ara Stadium: not to waste the points gleaned through a hard fight against the greats of Europe with a disappointing result against a much more affordable team.
The Mastiffs fulfilled their mission, extending their magnificent series of invincibility to twelve matches, started in the wake of their only European misstep in Lisbon against Sporting (2-0).
This success bears the seal of the flamboyant youth of Losc embodied, in a freshness heralding December, by Matias Fernandez-Pardo (19 years old), Ayyoub Bouaddi (17 years old) and Ngal’ayel Mukau (20 years old).
The latter was Bruno Genesio’s surprise at kick-off. Established behind striker Jonathan David, to the detriment of Rémy Cabella, for example, the midfielder, a defensive midfielder by training, scored twice to give his team the victory.
First by taking advantage of a gag action from the Bolognese defense, when Stefan Posch wanted to clear but sent the ball to Sam Beukema, which allowed David to recover it then give it back to Mukau, scorer in two-stroke (44th).

Canadian LOSC striker Jonathan David attempts a scissor during the C1 match against Bologna on November 27, 2024 in the Renato Dall’Ara stadium in Italy / Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP
The resilience of the North
It was the perfect move for the northern club, ahead at the end of a first period which was nevertheless balanced in terms of play and statistics.
Just before the opening score, Fernandez-Pardo had already had the opportunity to score at the end of a breakthrough at full speed (40th), concluded by coming up against goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski.
The winger was very visible in this almost century-old stadium, dominated by its famous tower almost as wide as it is high.
Opposite, the Bolognese put Lille in difficulty by using long balls given to the attackers behind the defense.
They were rewarded by equalizing by Jhon Lucumi, who cut a free kick at the near post taking advantage of a marking error by the Lille defense (63rd), scoring his team’s first goal in this European campaign.
But the Mastiffs have acquired new mental strength this season, under the orders of Bruno Genesio. They regained the advantage straight away, again through Mukau, after a back cross from Fernandez-Pardo.
The Northerners had several opportunities to score a third goal to definitively validate their victory, but came up against Skorupski (73rd, 84th).
No matter, Lille held on to this result and its dream of continuing its European adventure as far as possible, at least in the play-offs, until the end.