PLAYER RATINGS | Lille 1-1 Sturm Graz: Tiago Santos scores as Les Dogues cruise to quarter-finals

Lille OSC took a commanding lead back with them to the Stade Pierre Mauroy after defeating SK Sturm Graz in the first leg of the Europa Conference League 3-0. Paulo Fonesca rotated his side heavily ahead of this game. 

The reserve goalkeeper, Vito Mannone was called immediately into action as the Austrians looked to crowd the penalty area and force an early goal. The ex-Sunderland and arsenal man was up to the task, but the tempo was set and Sturm Graz pressed their hosts aggressively. 

The pressure was on for fifteen minutes as Lille tried to play their way through the press, eventually their perseverance delivered results, and control of the game slowly shifted into their hands. Long shots gave way to more precise movements, but it was in the former that Lille broke the deadlock on the night. 

Tiago Santos’s shot from the edge of the box wormed its way through a crowded area and into the goal. Lille could relax a little, and as they did Sturm Graz hit back on the stroke of halftime to level the scores on the night and leave themselves in the same position they were in at the start of the game: in desperate need of three goals. 

Paulo Fonesca displayed his intentions with a triple change at halftime bringing off Edon Zhegrova, Hákon Arnar Haraldsson, and Nabil Bentaleb for Jonathan David, Benjamin André, and Angel Gomes. These changes whilst looking threatening ultimately worked to nullify the game. 

The two teams settled into a pattern and as the minutes ticked away it was clear that Lille had done enough in the first leg to progress into the quarter-finals. The task was too large for Sturm Graz on the night, and while they had come with the right approach, Lille were secure enough with a 4-1 aggregate to cruise into