Lille make it to Champions League

Lille booked their place in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League with a thumping 4-1 victory away to Lorient.

Lille booked their place in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League with a thumping 4-1 victory away to Lorient in their final match of the Ligue 1 season. Les Dogues needed a win to hold off the challenge of St Etienne, two points behind, and delivered in emphatic style despite falling behind to Jeremie Aliadiere's 22nd-minute goal. Salomon Kalou hit back 10 minutes later, and in the second half Nolan Roux and Kalou both scored before a late Gregory Bourillon own goal confirmed Lille's place in Europe's top competition. Kalou might have put Lille in front inside five minutes but his curling free-kick came back off the post. Vincent Enyeama then deflected Aliadiere's effort wide, while an outstanding save from Fabien Audard denied Jonathan Delaplace. Aliadiere threw a spanner in Lille's plans with he fired in Wesley Lautoa's pull-back in the 22nd minute but the visitors recovered their poise and Kalou levelled from Roux's cross just after the half-hour. Audard got a strong hand to Simon Kjaer's free-kick to ensure the sides went in level. But it took Lille only seven minutes to take the lead in the second half, with Audard missing an interception to leave Roux in front of an open goal. The goalkeeper did better to keep out Roux's volley on the hour mark, but the attacks were coming in waves and five minutes later Roux's cross came back off the post to leave Kalou with a simple tap-in. That just about settled it but to make sure the unfortunate Bourillon put into his own net in stoppage time.