Lille claim morale-boosting win

Lille finally solved their goalscoring problems, beating 10-man Toulouse 3-0 to earn three much-needed points in Ligue 1.

Maxime Spano's first league start lasted only two minutes before he saw red for bringing down Divock Origi as the last man and though Marko Basa missed the resulting penalty, Lille were ahead five minute in anyway through Djibril Sidibe.

Ryan Mendes made it 2-0 early in the second half and Nolan Roux added the third to earn Les Dogues their first win in any competition since September, and one that lifts them away from the relegation zone.

Spano's early indiscretion handed a golden opportunity to a team who had scored only 11 goals in 16 league games this season, but Ali Ahamada guessed right to thwart defender Basa from 12 yards.

It was Lille's second missed penalty of the week, Origi failing in Thursday's 3-0 Europa League loss to Wolfsburg.

They did not have to wait long to take the lead, though, as Sidibe controlled Idrissa Gueye's long ball, turned and fired low past Ahamada.

They could have had more goals inside the opening quarter-hour as Ahamada made a meal of saving Florent Balmont's 20-yard drive but then dealt more competently with Roux's lob from similar range.

But in the event they had to wait until four minutes after half-time to make it 2-0, when Basa won the ball and found Mendes, who beat Ahamada with a superb lob volley.

Origi thought he had made it three after he was sent clear by Mendes and rounded Ahamada, but Abel Aguilar got back to clear off the line.

Lille were not to be denied, though, and Ronny Rodelin and Origi combined to lay on a simple tap-in for Roux in the 76th minute.

Sidibe swung in a free-kick in the closing stages from which Basa's header was just off target, but three goals were more than sufficient for the dominant hosts.