Ikone's late goal gives Lille 1-1 draw with Valencia
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group H - Lille v Valencia - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 23, 2019 Lille's Yusuf Yazici in action with Valencia's Jaume Costa REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol
(Reuters) - Substitute Jonathan Ikone blasted home an equaliser deep into stoppage time to give Lille a 1-1 draw against 10-man Valencia to secure the French side's first point in their Champions League Group H campaign on Wednesday.
The home side dominated throughout and created more than enough opportunities to win the game, but their defence was superbly sliced open midway through the second half as Denis Cheryshev put the visitors ahead.
Valencia had Mouctar Diakhaby sent off five minutes from time after being shown two yellow cards in quick succession, and Lille made the most of that advantage when Ikone struck in the fifth minute of stoppage time to snatch a point.
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group H - Lille v Valencia - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 23, 2019 Valencia's Denis Cheryshev celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol
Ajax Amsterdam top the group with six points, ahead of second-placed Chelsea on goal difference despite losing to the Londoners at home earlier on Wednesday.
Valencia are third on four points and Lille bottom on one point.
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group H - Lille v Valencia - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 23, 2019 Lille's Victor Osimhen in action with Valencia's Geoffrey Kondogbia REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group H - Lille v Valencia - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 23, 2019 Lille's Domagoj Bradaric in action with Valencia's Carlos Soler REUTERS/Pascal RossignolSoccer Football - Champions League - Group H - Lille v Valencia - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 23, 2019 Lille's Victor Osimhen shoots at goal REUTERS/Pascal RossignolSoccer Football - Champions League - Group H - Lille v Valencia - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 23, 2019 Valencia's Denis Cheryshev scores their first goal REUTERS/Pascal RossignolSoccer Football - Champions League - Group H - Lille v Valencia - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 23, 2019 Lille's Yusuf Yazici in action with Valencia's Jaume Costa REUTERS/Pascal RossignolSoccer Football - Champions League - Group H - Lille v Valencia - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 23, 2019 Valencia's Mouctar Diakhaby in action with Lille's Victor Osimhen REUTERS/Pascal RossignolSoccer Football - Champions League - Group H - Lille v Valencia - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 23, 2019 Lille's Benjamin Andre shoots at goal REUTERS/Pascal RossignolSoccer Football - Champions League - Group H - Lille v Valencia - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 23, 2019 Lille fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol
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