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Lille Coach Claude Puel says his team's shock 3-1 win over Lyon yesterday was the perfect response to critics who label the northerners too defensive.
The fourth-placed side were dumped out of the Champions' League after scoring just one goal, yet they brought the Ligue 1 leaders run crashing to a halt thanks to strikes from Peter Odemwingie, Mathieu Debuchy and Stéphane Dumont.
"This match puts us right back up in the top part of the table and restores normality after all the criticism we received following our Champions' League campaign," explained Puel.
"We came here to take three points and we played a very good game even if we made a few mistakes. We were prolific and winning against the unbeaten leaders is great for our confidence.
"We weren't just looking to end Lyon's run, but that's always an additional motivation and I'm glad Saint-Etienne weren't able to do it last Sunday."
"It was one of our best matches since I joined Lille," added midfielder Milenko Acimovic. "I'm very happy and we're proud of our performance. It's great for the fans as well.
"Lyon are top and they're the best team in France. But we showed a lot of solidarity, defended well and attacked well. We were able to create a lot of danger."
The champions nonetheless remain 12 points clear of second-placed Auxerre – ahead of the rest of the weekend's action – and Lyon boss Gérard Houllier congratulated his team's conquerors on their achievement.
"Lille were superb and Lyon were perhaps not quite so good," he commented. "I was reticent about this game because I felt we were tiring mentally, as opposed to physically.
"We weren't able to start the match in the right way. Sometimes we manage to come back because we have a lot of resources but tonight I don't think we could.
"It's important that this result doesn't obscure everything we've done up until now. The players have given so much over 26 matches and we've done well enough to keep looking on the bright side.
"Losing doesn't leave a bitter taste in my mouth because the players did everything they could. I enjoyed the second half and we nearly came back. Sometimes you just have to say 'well done'."
Lyon had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside decision and a penalty appeal turned down after John Carew claimed he was fouled, but Houllier was quick to play down any controversy.
"There was no problem with the refereeing," he said. "We have to be big enough to get over little things like that. Referee Duhamel was more unlucky than anything else.
"In the end, it's our fault. [Blaming the referee] would be the same as hiding behind a tree."
Lyon President Jean-Michel Aulas was less magnanimous, however, and had no compunctions about pointing the finger.
"There were a few nasty challenges from Lille players that could have resulted in cards," he argued. "We also had a good goal ruled out and a penalty refused for a foul on Carew.
"I think referees need to raise their level to meet the standards of the players. They need to stop trying to attract attention because the players will always be the stars.
"They also have to stop making continual errors. Mr. Duhamel really doesn't have a lot of luck with Lyon. He also made a mistake during our match against Marseille at the start of the season.
"Referees can make mistakes, they just can't keep doing it on a one-sided basis."
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