Third-from-bottom Sochaux-Montbeliard staged a spectacular comeback on Friday, scoring three goals in the last 11 minutes to earn a 3-3 Ligue 1 draw and dent LOSC Lille Metropole’s chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Two goals from Salomon Kalou and one by Marko Basa put the home team 3-0 up inside 48 minutes.
Lille, the 2011 champions, were then booed off the pitch after Sochaux hit back with a double from Vincent Nogueira and a goal by Cedric Kante — all three efforts coming from free kicks.
“We just gave them an opportunity to come back,” Lille rightback Laurent Bonnart told the beIN Sport television channel. “We should have continued to push for a fourth goal. You can concede one goal at a set-piece, not three.”
The draw kept Lille in fifth spot, level on 57 points with fourth-placed AS Saint-Etienne who visit third-placed Olympique Lyonnais (59) today.
Olympique de Marseille, in second position on 61 points, traveled to Lorient yesterday while leaders Paris Saint-Germain (70) also meet Evian Thonon Gaillard today.
The top two qualify for the Champions League and the team in third go through to the preliminary round.
Lille went in front after 26 minutes when former Chelsea striker Kalou scored with a low shot from just outside the box.
The Ivorian added his second after pouncing on a loose ball in the area before centerback Basa headed the third.
Sochaux started their revival when Kante struck in the 79th minute.
Nogueira pulled another goal back with a low drive from 25m before curling a free kick into the top corner with three minutes left.
“We did not give up … but we also had some luck on our side,” Nogueira said.
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