PARIS: Ayase Ueda’s debut goal gave Lille a 1-0 away win at Toulouse in Ligue 1 on Thursday sending them provisionally top, three days after the Japanese international joined them.
In a game moved forward due to Lille hosting Real Betis in the Champions League on Tuesday, Ueda nodded home to break the deadlock on 73 minutes amidst a goalmouth scramble and against the run of play.
The 28-year-old scored 25 goals for Feyenoord in 31 games in the Dutch league last season before signing a deal with Lille on Monday.
Lille sold wonderkid Ayyoub Bouaddi to Manchester City for 100 million euros ($116 million) and Matias Fernandez-Pardo for a reported 51 million ($69 million) to Newcastle United on deadline day.
Paired with veteran Olivier Giroud in the forward line, the 15 million euros recruit held his nerve in a lengthy scramble before Lille held on to take their tally to seven points from three games.
New Lille boss Davide Ancelotti got a winning start at Angers in their opening game before going two up at home to Paris Saint-Germain but ceding a draw as his side shipped two late PSG goals.
The northern French outfit will face Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Roma and Galatasaray, among others, in the Champions League this season.-AFP