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Lille earned their first point in this season’s Champions’ League but stayed bottom of Group D after a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Villarreal.
Around 35,000 fans turned up at the Stade de France to watch the LOSC play their first ‘home’ match of the current campaign – nearly 200km from their regular home at Stadium Nord near the Belgian border.
LOSC Coach Claude Puel chose the physical presence of Mathew Bodmer to partner Cameroon midfielder Jean II Makoun in the middle of the park instead of regular captain Stéphane Dumont, in an attempt to disrupt the Spanish side’s short passing game.
Lille immediately set off pressing their opponents all over the park and neither side seemed prepared to take undue risks in search of an opening Group D win.
In Matt Moussilou and Peter Odemwingie in attack Lille were armed to hit their guests on the counterattack and the former – who grew up just five minutes from the evening’s venue – had the ball in the back of the net on 23 minutes only to see the effort ruled out for offside.
Two minutes later it was the Odemwingie’s turn to be denied by the linesman flag as Lille enjoyed their best period of the opening stanza.
The double scare seemed to spur the visitors into action and when former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan had his heels clipped by Rafael as he bore down on the penalty area, Lille could count themselves lucky not to be – if not a goal – then at least a man down.
From the resulting free-kick Argentine playmaker Juan Riquelme saw his effort kiss the outside of Tony Sylva’s left-hand upright.
With Bodmer enduring a difficult debut at his side’s new European home, Villarreal wrestled control of the midfield. The hosts saw their previously dangerous counterattacks being broken up at their debut and the visiting yellow shirts buzzed with renewed vigour.
Apart from a Odemwingie header which floated harmlessly over Viera’s crossbar from an intelligent Milenko Acimovic chip, the LOSC became virtually non-existent as an attacking force.
Riquelme set up his compatriot Lucho Figueroa on the right side of the penalty area before trying his own luck from distance with a long-range effort that whistled over Sylva’s bar just moments from half time.
Lille returned from the pause with Dumont reinstated in the XI at the expense of Bodmer, but it was another Riquelme free-kick which brought the first chance of the second period. Dumont could only flick the ball on at the front post and Figueroa’s reflex header brought a fingertip save from Sylva.
Odemwingie seemed Lille’s best route to goal and after squaring the ball to a crowded-out Moussilou, the Nigerian went it alone on 56 minutes, unleashing a deflected shot from a tight angle which skimmed off the Villarreal crossbar.
Despite enjoy a majority of possession, Villarreal were unable to exert any constant pressure on Sylva’s goal and the match continued to divulge chances at both ends.
Spanish substitute Gonzalo went within a hair’s breadth of giving the visitors the lead when he headed wide from another well-struck Riquelme ball just after the hour mark before Makoun picked out Viera with a bullet-header that the Brazilian ‘keeper knew little about.
Despite showing more urgency than their opponents in the final ten minutes Lille were unable to create another clear cut scoring opportunity as Villarreal sat back to ensure their second draw of the campaign after their scoreless visit to Old Trafford two weeks ago.
Lille remain at the bottom of Group D with a solitary point ahead of their next match away to Manchester United.
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