The French Ligue 1 side Lille secured their place in the UEFA Champions League playoffs with a thrilling victory over Marseille on Saturday night.

In a match that was full of tension and excitement, Lille emerged victorious thanks to a late goal from substitute forward Anthony Martial.

The match had been closely contested throughout, with both teams showing excellent attacking skills and defensive resilience. However, it was Lille who took the lead in the 87th minute when midfielder Florian Thauvin converted a penalty kick after being fouled by defender Maxime Lopez.

Despite their early advantage, Marseille remained determined to secure a point and prevent their rivals from progressing to the next round of the competition. And in the dying seconds of regulation time, they nearly pulled level as striker Dimitri Payet scored a stunning equaliser.

However, it was Lille who were able to hold onto their lead and progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, securing their spot in Europe's premier club tournament for another season.

For Lille manager Christophe Galtier, this win is a huge boost ahead of the upcoming domestic campaign and will provide much-needed motivation for his team as they look to defend their league title.

Meanwhile, Marseille will be disappointed at missing out on a chance to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League. But they can take heart from the fact that they have already qualified for the Europa League, where they hope to continue their impressive run of form under new manager Lucien Favre.