In the Europa League Conference play-off, Losc had to go through extra time to eliminate Rijeka (2-1, 1-1 ap), the 4th in the Croatian championship.
The disaster is not far away. Opposed to Rijeka in the Europa League Conference play-off, Lille came close to elimination against fourth in the last Croatian championship, far from being a European cador.
After a sluggish first leg victory (2-1) last week, Paulo Fonseca’s men were jostled on the return leg, in a fairly hot atmosphere. While the Mastiffs had shown practically nothing, it was quite logical that they were sanctioned, on a free kick stupidly conceded by Edon Zhegrova, on which Lucas Chevalier missed his exit, which ended up benefiting Ivan Smolcic (1-0, 57th).
It would have been worse than OM…
Losc believed to equalize in stride by Jonathan David, on a nice delivery from Ivan Cavaleiro (69th), but the Portuguese winger was finally flagged offside by the VAR, for a few centimeters very difficult to see at the naked eye.
During extra time, Lille however found a way out, with another goal from David, this time granted, after a strike from Ismaily repelled by the post (1-1, 109th). The fifth in Ligue 1 will be there for the group stage of the C4.
For French football, an elimination of Lille would have been much more problematic than that of OM in the Champions League, because the Phocaeans will have the opportunity to continue in the Europa League, while Losc, which would have been definitively eliminated, n would have brought only a very small number of points to France. The worst has been avoided.
It’s over, at the end of the extension and in difficulty, the Mastiffs snatch their ticket for the@europacnfleague 🇪🇺
See you tomorrow for the draw 💪#HNKRLOSC 1-1 (2-3) | 120′
— LOSC (@losclive) August 31, 2023
