Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Round 8, October 19, 2025
Lille OSC visited the Stade de la Beaujoire to take on an FC Nantes side eager for their first win since August 30. The match turned out to be straightforward for Les Dogues, as Hákon Arnar Haraldsson and Hamza Igamane led the charge against a youthful and error-prone La Maison Jaune.
The Match
Nantes were shaky right from the start, attempting to build from the back against a Lille team that pressed high and closed down quickly. The hosts made several critical mistakes in front of their goal, allowing Lille to take an early lead. A misplaced pass from Chidozie Awaziem was deflected by Matias Fernandez-Pardo, enabling Félix Correia to retrieve the ball and set up Olivier Giroud, who assisted Hákon Arnar Haraldsson for his third goal of the season.
Despite the setback, Nantes continued to struggle, with Tylel Tati’s backpass intercepted by Fernandez-Pardo. The winger rounded the keeper but failed to find the right angle for a finish. Nantes attempted to respond swiftly, with Herba Guirassy finding Matthis Abline, whose shot was brilliantly denied by Berke Özer, hitting the crossbar.
Once again, Tati was at fault, allowing Haraldsson a chance for a second goal as Lille transitioned quickly, and Haraldsson’s shot struck the bar. As the half came to a close, Nantes created a few promising chances, with Abline coming closest to scoring again, hitting the woodwork from a Guirassy cross.
The halftime break seemed to ease Nantes’s early nerves. Though they still struggled to pose a genuine threat, Abline’s attempts remained their best chances, though they ceased making regular mistakes. Lille continued to dominate but couldn’t secure a second goal, which would have provided them with crucial breathing room.
Lille seemed to lose some of their first-half momentum and appeared content to hold onto the 1-0 lead as the final ten minutes approached. Kwon Hyeok-kyu fired a menacing shot from outside the box that was deflected for a corner. The subsequent set piece fell to Abline, who failed to keep his attempt on target.
Nantes showed signs of improving as time passed, but Lille extinguished their hopes just before the final whistle. Hamza Igamane, coming on for Olivier Giroud, surged through the Nantes defense and found the bottom left corner.
Lille Player Ratings
Berke Özer: 6
Romain Perraud: 6
Aïssa Mandi: 7
Chancel Mbemba: 7
Mbemba illustrated the qualities that Olympique de Marseille missed last season, forming a solid partnership with Mandi that restricted Nantes to only a handful of chances.
Thomas Meunier: 6
Ayyoub Bouaddi: 6
Benjamin André: 6
Matias Fernandez-Pardo: 5
Although he played a critical role defensively, effectively closing down Nantes and forcing mistakes, his indecision in attack remains a concern. If he can enhance his accuracy in shots and crosses, he could become a highly coveted player across Europe.
Hákon Arnar Haraldsson: 7
He took his goal well to give Lille an early advantage and should have added another. He was active throughout the match, connecting well with Giroud and Correia. However, his rating suffers due to Lille’s lackluster attacking display in the second half.
Félix Correia: 7
Olivier Giroud: 5
Nantes Selected Player Ratings
Tylel Tati: 3
Matthis Abline: 5
Mostafa Mohamed: 4