FRANCE: "I waited a long time" - Renato Sanches scores first Ligue 1 goal in Lille win [video]

Renato Sanches continued his excellent run of form with a late winner to give Lille a 2-1 victory over Montpellier in the French Ligue 1 on Friday night.

The Portuguese midfielder, who has earned strong reviews for recent performances, capped another impressive display with his first goal for his new club in the 84th minute to give Lille all three points at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Sanches, who dropped to the bench for the midweek Champions League trip to Chelsea, was restored to the line-up by Lille boss Christophe Galtier to make his fourth consecutive league start. Experienced defender José Fonte joined Sanches in the team, while former Braga midfielder Xeka was introduced for the last fifteen minutes. Pedro Mendes missed the match for Montpellier following his sending off against Paris Saint-Germain last week.

The teams were level at 1-1 around six minutes from the end of play, with Jonathan Ikone’s first-half penalty to put the hosts ahead cancelled out by a 74th-minute Andy Delort equaliser for Montpellier. That set the stage for Sanches, who received possession on the left of the penalty area and weaved his way inside before finding the near post with a terrific finish.

Sanches had once again been deployed on the right side of Galtier’s 4-2-3-1 formation, in a role which has seen the former Benfica man thrive during recent outings. The 22-year-old once again demonstrated his ability to hurt the opposition through running with the ball, completing a remarkable 10 of his 12 dribbles.

“We had a good game on a collective level,” Sanches said after the match. “We could have been better in finishing our moves. But this victory is deserved.

 “Of course I was very happy to score. I had warned my teammates that I was going to do it. I had already had opportunities in the past without succeeding. Scoring is always an extraordinary feeling. In my case, I have been waiting for it for a long time. I took great pleasure in this goal.

 “My form? It is true that for a year or two, I was not at my level. For me, it's a thing of the past. Thanks to my daily work here, it’s coming together. I will now focus on LOSC and what I will do with this team.”

Related article: “I matured at Bayern” Renato Sanches speaks of growth after fighting for his fresh start with Lille

The win is Lille’s fourth in a row and Galtier’s side, who surprised many by finishing runners-up to PSG last season, currently occupy 3rd place and look set for another productive campaign.

By Sean Gillen

@SeanGillen9