Lille forced to settle for a point

Lille had to settle for a point as they were held to a goalless draw in Lyon on Saturday night.

Lille had to settle for a point as they were held to a goalless draw in Lyon. The visitors were chasing a third straight Ligue 1 win to keep up with the leading group, but left Stade Municipal de Gerland disappointed after failing to break down the hosts despite having plenty of chances. It had been a promising start from Rene Girard's side, and the course of the match could have been so different had Simon Kjaer's goalbound header not been cleared off the line by Lyon defender Bakary Kone, with goalkeeper Anthony Lopes beaten. Lille pressed again after 16 minutes when Salomon Kalou was sent through by substitute David Rozehnal, but the former Chelsea forward saw his shot beaten away by Lopes. The home side, who had lost at AC Ajaccio in week seven, finally threatened the Lille goal with a long-range free-kick from Clement Grenier, which Vincent Enyeama saved. Ivory Coast international Kalou was involved as Lille threatened again just before the break, when his pass found Idrissa Gueye, but the Senegalese midfielder's 20-yard effort hit the woodwork. Lille pressed at the start of the second half when Florent Balmont got away down the left and fed Nolan Roux, whose low effort was kicked away by Lopes. Lyon came close to breaking the deadlock with 20 minutes left when Bafetimbi Gomis sent his close-range header over. At the other end, Lopes was called into action again when he denied Kalou in another one-on-one, this time after the Lille forward was played through by Ronnie Rodelin. The home side then almost snatched victory in the closing stages, when former Fulham midfielder Steed Malbranque put Gomis clear, but Enyeama was alert and made a fine reflex save to see the points shared.