Goalless at Montpellier

Lille's European hopes remained in the balance as they were held 0-0 at Montpellier.

Lille's European hopes remained in the balance as they were held at Montpellier on Saturday night. The visitors could have gone level with Lyon in third place with a win, but instead they had to make do with fifth place and finishing the game with 10 men following Benoit Pedretti's injury-time red card for dissent. Lille could slip a place if Nice beat Lyon tomorrow in their re-arranged clash. Tonight's match was Montpellier coach Rene Girard's last home game in charge and his side started well as they tried to give him an ideal send-off. Younes Belhanda's corner picked out Emanuel Herrera at the far post and his header fell to Marco Estrada, whose shot was deflected behind. At the other end Salomon Kalou's shot skimmed a post, but Montpellier went even closer when Belhanda's header from a Remy Cabella corner came back off the bar. Kalou continued to look threatening and his volley from a Pedretti cross was inches wide. Chances kept on coming at both ends after the break with Souleymane Camara shooting just over from close range for the hosts and Florent Balmont's fierce shot working Geoffrey Jourdren at the other end. Lille finished strongly and Dimitri Payet controlled a Pedretti cross before letting fly from 25 yards out, but Joudren was equal to the effort. And the match finished on a sour note for the visitors with Pedretti dismissed two minutes into added time for talking back to the referee.