Lille wins first title since 1954

Lille wins first title since 1954

Published May. 21, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

Lille won its first French league title since 1954 with a 2-2 draw at Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, securing the championship with a round to spare.

Ahead of the final round of matches, Lille has an unassailable six-point lead over defending champion Marseille, which was held to a 2-2 home draw by Valenciennes.

Goals from Ludovic Obraniak and Moussa Sow - the league's top scorer with 22 goals - also gave Lille its first French league-cup double in 65 years.

Obraniak scored the winner last weekend when Lille beat PSG 1-0 at the Stade de France to win the French Cup.

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''When my players will meet again in 15 or 20 years, they will have incredible memories together,'' Lille coach Rudi Garcia said.

Obraniak quickly put Lille ahead in the fifth minute after Sow's attempt from the edge of the box was cleared by PSG defenders. But Obraniak, left alone on the right, retrieved the ball and unleashed a 20-meter shot inside the near post.

PSG responded immediately but striker Guillaume Hoarau's header from a cross failed to threaten goalkeeper Mickael Landreau.

After keeping Lille at bay for long periods, Antoine Kombouare's team was finally rewarded in the 45th minute when Hoarau connected with a quickly played free kick to beat Mickael Landreau with a right-footed shot.

But Hoarau was given a second yellow card just after the restart for diving in the area and was subsequently sent off. The incident prompted angry exchanges and PSG coach Antoine Kombouare was expelled in the 58th minute after arguing with match officials.

The tension on the pitch left Sow unfazed as he gave Lille the lead - and essentially the league title - just a minute later.

Mathieu Bodmer leveled in the 73rd minute with a powerful shot after showing his speed and dribbling skills to beat two defenders.

Also on Saturday, it was: Rennes 0, Nancy 2; Nice 2, Lorient 0; Toulouse 2, Bordeaux 0; Montpellier 0, Monaco 1; Lyon 0, Caen 0; Auxerre 0, Brest 1; Lens 0, Arles 1 and Sochaux 2, Saint-Etienne 1.

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