PLAYER RATINGS | Slavia Prague 2-1 Lille (agg. 2-3): LOSC ...

PLAYER RATINGS | Slavia Prague 2-1 Lille (agg. 2-3): LOSC secure Champions League qualification in nervy affair

UEFA Champions League Play-off, 28/08/24

Lille OSC secured their qualification for the UEFA Champions League league phase following a nervy night in Czechia. Despite Slavia Prague’s 2-1 victory on the night, Les Dogues progress 3-2 on aggregate, thanks to their comfortable victory on French soil last week.

Slavia Prague were quick out of the blocks, showing an intensity that was not matched by Lille at any point during the first half. LOSC struggled to retain possession due to the Czechian side’s high and intense press with players forced into erros deep in their own half.

That pressure told and it told early. Christofos Zafeiris volleyed hom to give the home side a deserved lead. Buoyed by quickly halving the deficit from the first-leg, Slavia Prague continued to dominate with Tomas Chory missing a huge chance midway through the first-half, dragging an effort wide when completely unmarked and unpressured inside the LOSC box.

Lille suffered in the first-half and could have gone in two goals behind on the night after Zafeiris almost doubled his account on the night. However, his sweetly-struck free-kick struck the bar. Les Dogues, it seemed, had weathered the storm. It was a different side that emerged from the tunnel in the second-half. Lille managed to control the game better, conceded fewer chances, less possession and less territory.

Midway through the half, Edon Zhegrova, who had been well contained until that point, put a free-kick onto the bar and then just over 10 minutes later and with Slavia Prague pushing for that crucial equaliser, he made his mark, netting with a long-range shot that wrong-footed the goalkeeper and slotted into the bottom corner.

But it wasn’t over as another storm blew in. Ivan Schranz halved the deficit from close range after a good Lucas Chevalier save. The chances then came thick and fast. Zafeiris hit the bar for the second time on the night with a curled effort from outside the box, but the best chances fell to Mojmir Chytil, whose tame effort when one-on-one was saved by the feet of Chevalier, and Marej Jurasek, whose free header in the 94th minute glided agonisingly wide.

Lille held on – just – and become the first Ligue 1 side since AS Monaco in the 2016/17 season, to qualify for the Champions League proper via the play-offs. The end of an unwanted record for French football and perhaps the start of a great European adventure for Lille, who return to UEFA’s flagship club tournament.

Lucas Chevalier – 7

The Frenchman’s distribution was poor, particualry in the first-half, although, in his defence, the intense Slavia Prague press and the lack of options offered by his teammates didn’t make his task any easier. However, he was imposing in the air and made multiple key saves, the majority from distance, to retain Lille’s lead.

Alexsandro – 3

An error-prone performance throughout for the centre-back, who is usally so assured. His lapse of concentration in the dying seconds allowed Jurasek to steal a header on goal that almost – and should have – taken the game to extra-time.

Bafodé Diakité – 5

Thomas Meunier – 4

Gabriel Gudmundsson – 4

Benjamin André – 3

The game seemed the pass André by. The midfielder, usually so assured, so reliable, was a step behind all night and was too easily bypassed too frequently.

Aron Hakor Haraldsson – 5

Tiago Santos – 4

Rémy Cabella – 4

Edon Zhegrova – 7

For much of the match, this felt like the Zhegrova of old. He can be explosive, but he used to have a habit of picking his matches, of disappearing. He drifted around the pitch, barely perceptible in the first-half, however, a run down the right-wing at the start of the second was a sign of things to come as he grew into the game. His rifled finish into the top corner, in such an important moment with Slavia Prague looking to force extra-time, exuded big-player energy. When he was needed most, Zhegrova was there.

Jonathan David – 3

GFFN | Luke Entwistle