Late Xeka effort earns Lille maximum points against Amiens

Posted Saturday, January 19, 2019 by PA

Xeka’s late goal handed high-flying Lille a hard-earned 2-1 comeback win against struggling Amiens.

The visitors, battling just above the Ligue 1 relegation zone, shocked the majority inside the Stade Pierre Mauroy when Juan Ferney Otero put them in front after only five minutes.

However, it was virtually one-way traffic for the rest of the game and Lille missed a penalty before goals from Rafael Leao and substitute Xeka completed the turnaround as they strengthened their grip on second place.

Otero’s rising shot from inside the box opened the scoring but Jose Fonte, Thiago Mendes, Jonathan Ikone and Leao all threatened an equalising goal.

Nicolas Pepe squandered Lille’s best chance to draw level after 37 minutes when he put his penalty wide.

But Leao – the man fouled for the spot-kick – finally got the hosts back on terms in first-half injury time when he fired home from Mendes’ cross from a free-kick on the right wing.

Chances for Lille were less frequent after the break. Jonathan Bamba fired wide at the start of the second half and Adama Soumaoro missed the target with a couple of headed efforts.

Despite Lille’s dominance, it was not until the 75th minute that Amiens goalkeeper Regis Gurtner had to make his first save of any note, pushing away a close-range header from Leao.

Lille’s pressure eventually told five minutes from time when Xeka headed home from a Jeremy Pied corner.