Lille cruise past St Etienne to strengthen grip on second in Ligue 1

PARIS: In-form Lille youngster Jonathan Bamba scored twice against former club St Etienne to fire Christophe Galtier’s men to a 3-1 win which cut Paris St Germain’s lead in Ligue 1.

The hosts, who only narrowly avoided relegation last term, are now four points clear of St Etienne after applying a modicum of pressure on champions PSG.

Lille backed up their 3-0 victory over Marseille last weekend in style, but coach Galtier didn’t want to be drawn on his young team’s chances of pushing for a top-three finish and Champions League qualification.

“I’m satisfied with the performance of the team in these last two matches,” he said on Saturday.

“This start is unexpected, but the appetite comes with eating. I have young players and when you’re young you have a big appetite. Toulouse 1 Nice 1, Lille 3 St Etienne 1, Guingamp 1 Montpellier 1, Angers 2 Strasbourg 2, Amiens 1 Dijon 0, Nimes 0 Reims 0.

Leading standings: PSG 24, Lille 19, Montpellier 16, St Etienne 15, Lyon 14.

“They need to keep this appetite, without becoming obese, staying fit. These are points taken ... and when there will be less good moments, the points we have taken now will do us good.”

Bamba got Lille off to a flying start in the 17th minute, collecting Loic Remy’s lay-off before creating space for a shot which flew into the bottom corner.

Remy Cabella levelled for St Etienne from the penalty spot just nine minutes later, but Bamba struck again in the opening minute of the second half.

Nicolas Pepe sent the 22-year-old racing clear, and he cut inside before curling home another unerring finish from the edge of the box.

Bamba, who left St Etienne for Lille on a free transfer in the close-season, has now scored seven goals in only nine appearances for his new club.

A fourth win in five matches was wrapped up late on, as Bamba broke away from the visitors’ midfield and slipped through a pass for Pepe to fire between the legs of Les Verts goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier.

Pepe, 23, has netted six goals already this term himself.

Elsewhere on Saturday, South African striker Lebo Mothiba scored twice for Strasbourg in a 2-2 draw at Angers, while Guingamp stayed rooted to the foot of the table after being held 1-1 by Montpellier in a match which saw both teams reduced to 10 men. — AFP