Lille secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Sturm Graz at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, with Hakon Haraldsson scoring the decisive goal in the dying minutes of the match. The Icelandic midfielder made an instant impact, netting the winning goal just 56 seconds after coming off the bench, ensuring that Lille’s Champions League campaign stayed on track and pushing them into the top eight of the competition.
The match began with Lille taking the lead in the 37th minute through Osame Sahraoui, who broke the deadlock with a well-taken strike. As the first half neared its end, Mitchel Bakker extended Lille's advantage during stoppage time with a beautifully worked team goal, giving the hosts a 2-0 lead heading into the break.
However, Sturm Graz responded resiliently in the second half. Just minutes after the restart, Otar Kiteishvili pulled a goal back for the visitors, reducing the deficit to 2-1. Their momentum continued as Mika Biereth capitalized on a William Boving cross to score the equalizer, making it 2-2 and setting up a tense final phase of the match.
Despite Sturm Graz’s efforts to claim a point, it was Lille who had the final say. In the 81st minute, substitute Hakon Haraldsson found the top corner with a brilliant shot, securing three vital points for Lille. His goal, coming just 56 seconds after his introduction, was the second-fastest substitute goal in this season’s Champions League, only behind Mathias Pereira Lage’s 47-second strike for Brest against Salzburg in October.
This victory marked Lille’s second consecutive home win in the Champions League, a first for them in a single campaign. Haraldsson’s dramatic contribution also extended Lille’s unbeaten run to five matches, their longest streak since the 2004-05 season. The team also scored more than once in a Champions League home game for the first time in 15 attempts, taking their season tally to 10 goals.
For Sturm Graz, the result was another frustrating chapter in their struggles away from home against French teams. The Austrian side remains winless in six matches in France, with five of those being losses. Despite a spirited performance and strong contributions from players like Kiteishvili and Biereth, Sturm Graz couldn’t find a way to hold on to their equalizer and were undone by Haraldsson’s late intervention.
The victory was crucial for Lille, who now sit in a strong position in the Champions League group stage. The club will be hoping to build on this result and continue their push for progression in Europe’s premier club competition. Meanwhile, Sturm Graz will look to bounce back as they continue their European campaign, hoping to turn their performances into results in the coming matches.
