Receiving a perfect 5/5 rating in yesterday’s match during the 28th day of Ligue 1, where they faced Valenciennes in the northern derby, Lille is continuing its ascent in the league standings, currently sitting at 6th place with 46 points. The Mastiffs secured a 3-1 victory against Mathieu Dossevi and his teammates, with another goal added to the tally by Ronny Rodelin from Reunion.
Despite being relatively untested during the game, Steeve Elana, the goalkeeper, remained vigilant against Valenciennes’ occasional offensive attempts, notably saving a cross-shot from the Franco-Togolese attacking midfielder, Dossevi, that aimed for the top corner.
This marked Lille’s fifth consecutive success, a stark contrast to their initial performance at the beginning of the season. Elana, now the primary goalkeeper for Lille since Landreau’s departure, reflected on the team’s turnaround in the program “Grandes Gueules du Sport” on RMC, stating, “We will have thumbed our noses at ourselves and at the start of the season.” As the current number 1 in Lille’s goalkeeping lineup, Elana believes he has yet to reach his peak performance, saying, “I expect even more from myself. I feel better and better, I’m happy, and I want to make it last.”
