Ligue 1: Lille 1 Evian 1

Reigning champions Lille were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at home to promoted side Evian in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

Evian, who reached the top flight as Ligue 2 champions, were in front after just four minutes at the Stade Lille Metropole.

Striker Saber Khelifa was the man on target, collecting a long ball from Olivier Sorlin and dispatching a shot past Mickael Landreau, who was helpless in the Lille goal.

Joe Cole appeared to have brought the hosts level in the 13th minute, but the former Chelsea man’s effort was ruled out for offside.

Dimitri Payet went close soon afterwards, but could only shoot wide of the post after being played in by Eden Hazard.

And Cole threatened again just before the break, cutting inside and striking the upright with a left-footed drive.

Lille finally made the breakthrough just past the hour mark, and there was an element of fortune about the equaliser.

Benoit Pedretti’s curling free-kick fooled defenders and attackers alike, bouncing into the net after wrong-footing Evian goalkeeper Bertrand Laquait.

Substitute Tulio De Melo came close to winning it for the hosts with 13 minutes to go, but contrived to send his shot wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.

And Evian had another narrow escape in injury-time, as Sorlin nearly headed Ludovic Obraniak’s cross into his own net.

The draw leaves Lille third, five points behind PSG and two points back from Marseille, with both of the top two in action on Sunday.