Lyon Stage Dramatic Comeback to Down Lille in Seven-Goal Clash

On Monday, Lyon pulled off a spectacular comeback to defeat Lille 4-3 on the road in Ligue 1 and deny their opponents a chance to qualify for the Champions League. Mama Balde scored a dramatic winner in stoppage time.

Bafode Diakite's header in his second goal of the game with five minutes remaining appeared to have sealed the victory for Lille, who had led 2-0 at the half before being pushed back to 2-2. But Lyon leveled again via Alexandre Lacazette, and two minutes into injury time, Balde headed home Clinton Mata's cross.

With two games left in the season, the northern team is still in fourth position, two points behind third-place Brest and four ahead of Nice, who are in fifth place and still have one game remaining.

The teams who place fourth in the preliminary stages and fifth in the Europa League will go automatically to the enlarged Champions League, which will be played in the following season.

With only six points remaining and a six-point advantage over Paulo Fonseca's club in second place, Monaco is in danger of securing a top-three position as a result of Lille's defeat.

While winner Paris Saint-Germain defeats Lyon in the French Cup final in Lille later this season, Lyon regains seventh place, which will be sufficient to qualify for the Conference League the following season.

Only two points separate Pierre Sage's club, who made an incredible comeback from last place in mid-December, and Lens in sixth place.

Because May 5, the day of the Furiani accident in Corsica in 1992, when 18 people died and many were injured in the collapse of a temporary stand before the French Cup semi-final between Bastia and Marseille, games are prohibited in France, this match was a rare Monday kickoff in Ligue 1.

But halfway through the second half, Lacazette set up Said Benrahma to give Lyon a response, and eight minutes from time, Malick Fofana headed in Balde's low center to tie the score.

Lille led 3-2 thanks to a header from Diakite at a corner. Lacazette then tied the score with a close-range cross, but Guinea-Bissau attacker Balde sealed the victory for Lyon.