Ancelotti's Lille fall 2-1 at Nice and lose Ligue 1 top spot

Davide Ancelotti's Lille suffered their first defeat of the Ligue 1 campaign on Sunday, falling 2-1 away to Nice and surrendering the top spot in the French top flight. Mohammed Amoura, with a goal and a key role in the opener, led a Nice side that celebrated their first win of the season and climbed off the bottom of the standings.

• Nice beat Lille 2-1 with a standout performance from Mohammed Amoura.
• It is the first league defeat of the season for Davide Ancelotti's team.
• Monaco are the new Ligue 1 leaders with 13 points after five rounds.
• Nathan Mbappé, Kylian's younger brother, left the pitch injured in the 55th minute with a muscle problem.
• Nice move off last place and secure their first home win in 326 days.

Nice end their poor run and punish the leaders

Olivier Pantaloni's side entered matchday five at the bottom of the table with just two draws to their name. Against Lille, however, they showed a far more competitive version of themselves and secured their first victory in the French championship. The result lifts Nice out of the relegation zone with 5 points and gives the home fans a long-awaited celebration: the club had not won at home for 326 days, and that previous success had also come against Lille.

How Lille's evening went wrong in Nice

Lille arrived as unbeaten leaders, having conceded only a 2-2 draw against PSG. Davide Ancelotti's plan quickly unraveled. In the 22nd minute, an Amoura run down the left flank produced a cross that Belgian defender Nathan Ngoy deflected into his own net past goalkeeper Berke Özer, giving Nice the lead.

Soon after, Amoura nearly doubled the advantage with a perfect assist for Elye Wahi, whose first-time finish hit the right post in the 31st minute. Lille stayed within reach until midway through the second half but struggled to match the home side's attacking rhythm.

Nathan Mbappé's injury adds to Lille's concerns

The match also brought another worry for the visitors. Nathan Mbappé, Kylian Mbappé's younger brother and a 19-year-old Lille player, had to leave the pitch in the 55th minute due to a muscle injury. It is his first physical setback of the current season after dealing with similar fitness issues in previous campaigns.

Amoura seals it as Monaco take advantage at the top

Nice extended their lead in the 67th minute with a superb move. Gauthier Hein played a long outside-of-the-foot pass that sent Amoura clean through. The Algerian forward rounded goalkeeper Berke Özer and finished into an empty net to make it 2-0. Japanese striker Ayase Ueda pulled one back in the 79th minute, but Lille could not avoid their first league loss.

The result confirms Monaco as the new Ligue 1 leaders with 13 points from a possible 15 after their 2-1 win over Lens on Friday. Lille drop to fourth place with 10 points, their strong start to the domestic season now interrupted.

What losing the Ligue 1 lead means for Lille

The setback in Nice comes at a delicate moment in the schedule. Lille, aiming to establish themselves in the European places, need an immediate response to avoid losing ground in the race for the top positions. With Monaco in form and PSG close behind, the margin for error shrinks with every round in a Ligue 1 that is particularly tight at the top.

Beyond the defeat itself, the potential absence of Nathan Mbappé adds uncertainty to Ancelotti's project. The young forward had been growing into a more prominent role, and his physical condition will be one of the main questions heading into the team's upcoming fixtures.