Lille ease back into third in Ligue 1 with Toulouse win

Olivier Giroud (C) converted from the spot to notch his seventh goal of the campaign (Valentine CHAPUIS) Lille reclaimed third place in Ligue 1 with a comfortable 4-0 win away to 10-man Toulouse on Sunday. Full-backs Thomas Meunier and Romain Perraud netted either side of the break, before Matias Fernandez-Pardo and Olivier Giroud wrapped up the victory to send Bruno Genesio's side back above Marseille into the final Champions League qualification spot. Lille have 53 points, one more than Habib Beye's Marseille in the battle for a direct spot in the league phase of the next edition of Europe's premier club competition.

"We did what we had to," Lille coach Genesio said. "We knew this match was important, but there are still five more to go, and we'll need to keep performing as we have been doing lately. " Right-back Meunier's deflected effort finished off a slick team move to send Lille in front on 23 minutes.

Lille celebrated the goal by flocking to their coach, who recently lost his father. Genesio said he was "deeply moved" by the unexpected gesture, adding: "It shows the spirit of this team, and it is also thanks to that that we are achieving the results we are. " The hosts, safely ensconced in 10th spot in the table, seemed to already have one eye on their upcoming French Cup semi-final with surprise Ligue 1 title challengers Lens and rarely threatened, barring one frantic corner on the quarter hour which saw the ball rebound off the Lille goal.

The encounter was ultimately decided inside the opening five minutes of the second period. Nabil Bentaleb threaded an excellent through-ball for Fernandez-Pardo to run onto before he was hauled down by a retreating Mark McKenzie, who promptly received his marching orders. From the resulting set-piece, left-back Perraud drilled a fizzing low shot from a central position 25 yards out from goal, which flew past Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes.