Schmeichel shines as Nice beat Lille

Kasper Schmeichel made a series of saves as south coast side Nice beat northerners Lille 1-0 in France's Ligue 1 on Sunday.

This was a third match without defeat for Nice coach Didier Digard since he took over from the sacked Lucien Favre at the club owned by Ineos, current suitors of Manchester United.

Denmark international Schmeichel made five key saves in a roller-coaster first half while at the other end Gaetan Laborde's slick shot gave Nice a lead on half an hour that eventually delivered all three points in front of 22 000 fans.

"We showed some good things against a very good side," said Digard, who took up the reins earlier this month after Favre was relieved of his duties following a run of disappointing results.

"I am very happy with the performance of the players. I was pleased with the intensity of the team," added Digard,

Lille are on 34 points in seventh place with Nice in 8th six points behind them.

Second placed Lens missed the chance to go level on points with Paris Saint-Germain at the top of Ligue 1 on Saturday as they needed a late equaliser from substitute Adrien Thomasson to draw 1-1 at Troyes.

Marseille could have moved above Lens on goal difference when they played Monaco in Saturday's late game but they also dropped points in a 1-1 stalemate.

PSG await the visit of Reims Sunday evening, a team led by Belgian-born English coach Will Still and riding a 13-game unbeaten run.