Lille capitalized on their first real opportunity in the 68th minute as Hakon Haraldsson found the net, securing a 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash on Tuesday.
The hosts had earlier taken the lead through Karim Adeyemi in the first half but were left frustrated after failing to build on their advantage.
Last season’s runners-up, Dortmund, created several chances in the opening period but couldn’t extend their lead before the break.
Their intensity dropped in the second half, allowing Lille to patiently wait for their moment to strike.
Adeyemi put Dortmund ahead in the 22nd minute with a precise low shot that struck the post before going in. Nico Schlotterbeck nearly doubled the lead in the 38th minute, but his effort went narrowly wide.
Just before the interval, Pascal Gross thought he had scored a second for Dortmund, only for his close-range finish to be ruled offside.
Despite a solid defensive setup that kept Lille at bay for over an hour, the Bundesliga side’s grip on the game loosened in the second half.
The visitors eventually broke through with a slick passing sequence, allowing Haraldsson to send a well-placed finish past Gregor Kobel.
In doing so, he became only the second Icelandic player to score in the Champions League knockout stages.
Dortmund pressed for a late winner but struggled to create clear chances. Their night worsened when Daniel Svensson was forced off with a suspected knee injury after Lille’s Andre Gomes stepped on his foot from behind.
Reflecting on the result, Adeyemi admitted the team fell short of expectations.
“Tough game today and we did not show what we had set out to do,” he said. “Now we have to do it at their stadium. We had wanted to keep a clean sheet and score as many as possible.”
The decisive second leg will take place in France on March 12.
