The retired Super Eagles goalkeeper was in inspired form for his club at the weekend as he helped the Ligue 1 side to an impressive 3-0 over FC Lorient. The win lifts Lille to 11th on the league standing.
A brace from Eric Bautheac either side of half time and a Djibril Sidibe strike six minutes from time was all the home side needed to run out convincing winners.
Vincent Enyeama made four key blocks and marshaled the defence well as the visitors were relegated to trying shots from range. The former Nigerian international notably punched clear a goal-bound effort from influential Portuguese forward, Raphael Guerreiro in the 40th minute of the encounter.
Lille had gone into the encounter with renewed confidence having climbed from 18th position in recent weeks following back-to-back wins over AS Saint-Etienne and Stade Malherbe Caen and were ahead of an FC Lorient side who came into Week 18 five points and six places better off in eighth within the first half hour. The goal was a fine flying header from Bautheac, his first goal since his summer transfer from Caen.
Bauthéac doubled LOSC’s advantage early in the second half when he guided the ball home into an empty net after FCL ‘keeper Benjamin Lecomte found himself helplessly out of position having parried a Yassine Benzia cross.
Lecomte was the busier of the two goaltenders and it was no surprise when he conceded the third goal when right-back Sidibé fired home his third goal of the campaign after a clever exchange with Boufal in the 84th minute.
The win moves Lille up to 11th while Lorient remain eighth.
