VIDEO: Brawl breaks out after Mason Greenwood is wiped out and Marseille star forced off injured against Lille

After three consecutive victories in Ligue 1, Marseille suffered a setback at home against Lille. Despite taking the lead through Ethan Nwaneri in the 43rd minute to head into half-time in front, Marseille were undone in the second half as Lille responded quickly, with Thomas Meunier equalizing in the 49th minute. Veteran French striker Olivier Giroud then snatched a dramatic late winner for the visitors in the 86th minute.

The victory lifts Lille to 47 points in fifth place, reigniting their hopes of securing a Champions League qualification spot, as the gap between them and third-placed Marseille has now been reduced to just two points with seven rounds remaining in the Ligue 1 season.

The clash between Marseille and Lille took a volatile turn in the opening stages when a brawl erupted after Greenwood was sent flying during a rapid counter-attack. The English forward had successfully bypassed his marker and was looking to exploit space in the final third before he was stopped in his tracks by a late, lunging challenge from Lille's Casper Verdonk.

The severity of the tackle and the speed at which Greenwood was moving caused the former Manchester United man to be sent flying, an action that immediately incensed the Marseille bench and his teammates on the pitch.

Referee Benoit Bastien was forced to intervene as players from both sides squared up in a mass confrontation, with Verdonk eventually receiving a yellow card for his role in the incident.

The referee had his hands full from the very first whistle in what proved to be a feisty affair between two Champions League-chasing outfits. Discipline was a major concern for Lille as early as the first minute, when Nathan Ngoy went into the book. The defender was cautioned for dangerous play after his high boot caught Igor Paixao in the head, leaving him to walk a tightrope for the remainder of the match.