<figure id="attachment_3217417" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3217417" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3217417" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/b2ac15c8-olivier-giroud-24112025.webp" alt="" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3217417" class="wp-caption-text">Lille&#8217;s forward Olivier Giroud reacts after scoring a goal during the match against Paris FC. (AFP pic)</figcaption></figure>
LILLE: Veteran forward Olivier Giroud netted twice as Lille won 4-2 at home to Paris FC in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
The 39-year-old struck in both halves after Willem Geubbels had given the visitors the lead.
Aissa Mandi headed a third and Lohann Doucet then gave Paris FC late hope, until Marius Broholm&#8217;s spot-kick sealed Lille&#8217;s place in the top four with 23 points.
The away side took the lead in the 11th minute when Geubbels gleefully tapped into an open net after Vincent Marchetti&#8217;s piledriver fell kindly to the striker after blasting against the crossbar.
Giroud levelled for the hosts on 40 minutes as he swept home Romain Perraud&#8217;s pass.
It was the 2018 World Cup winner&#8217;s first league goal for Lille since he netted for the northerners in their opening two fixtures in August.
Lille dominated the second period but were unable to force a breakthrough until the final quarter-hour.
Substitute Hakon Haraldsson was caught from behind as he tried to get onto the end of a low cross into the box and Giroud made no mistake from the spot with 13 minutes remaining.
Mandi gave Lille breathing space as he nodded in a corner at the back post in the 80th minute.
Paris FC got a lifeline back into the match when Doucet tucked home from close range shortly afterwards.
But after some desperate rearguard action and Broholm&#8217;s 96th-minute penalty, Bruno Genesio&#8217;s side saw out a hard-fought victory.
Earlier, Lyon were held to a goalless stalemate at bottom-of-the-table Auxerre as the hosts put an end to a four-game losing streak in the league.
Lyon moved to 21 points but lost further ground on Paris St-Germain and Marseille in the title race.
But things could have been worse for the seven-time Ligue 1 winners if goalkeeper Dominik Greif had not saved a first-half penalty from Lassine Sinayoko.
&#8220;We have to do better. We missed out on three points at an important stage of the championship,&#8221; Lyon assistant coach Jorge Maciel said.
&#8220;Ambition is not something you talk about, but something you show on the pitch.&#8221;
Auxerre remain three points from safety after fellow relegation candidates Lorient and Nantes played out a 1-1 draw.
Nantes centre-back Chidozie Awaziem salvaged a point for the hosts in the 91st minute after his own goal in first-half injury time had looked like handing Lorient a vital three points.
Metz, also on 11 points but with an inferior goal difference, replaced Lorient in the drop zone after they went down to a last-gasp 3-2 defeat at Brest.
Romain Del Castillo&#8217;s penalty in the 10th minute of stoppage time condemned Stephane Le Mignan&#8217;s charges to an eighth defeat of the campaign.
Brest, who played Champions League football last season, climbed to 14th place on 13 points.
Angers beat Toulouse 1-0 thanks to an early Yassin Belkhdim goal as they joined their opponents in mid-table on 16 points.

MatchPoint Times

Giroud brace earns Lille win over Paris FC in Ligue 1

Aissa Mandi scored a third goal and Marius Broholm’s penalty secured Lille’s top-four spot with 23 points.

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