Lens' title push hit hard by Lille defeat

Lens suffered a potentially fatal blow to their unlikely Ligue 1 title bid with a 3-0 loss away to northern derby rivals Lille on Saturday.

Pierre Sage's team have surprisingly been Paris Saint-Germain's closest challengers in France this season but they were swept aside by an in-form Lille.

Hakan Haraldsson turned in Matias Fernandez-Pardo's clever pass just before half-time at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Felix Correia pounced on a stray back-pass from Matthieu Udol to score a second for Lille five minutes after the break.

Fernandez-Pardo sealed a fifth win in six games for Lille from the penalty spot after a handball by Ismaelo Ganiou.

Lille climbed up two places to third after extending their unbeaten run to eight matches, with Lens still four points behind PSG and having played a game more than the league leaders, who brushed past Toulouse 3-1 on Friday.