Lille continue unbeaten run despite draw against valiant Le Havre
As expected, Lille took charge from the start, with their forwards generating a host of opportunities among themselves.
Felix Correia missed the target, then Ngal'ayel Mukau moved inwards and fired right at Mory Diaw. Hakon Haraldsson came nearest to breaking the deadlock by hitting the post from long range.
Correia was off target once more with a shot from within the penalty area, as Haraldsson compelled Diaw to make an outstanding reflex stop by pushing his header clear.
Still, the Icelandic player eventually put Lille ahead just before the 30-minute point, set up by Ayyoub Bouaddi and slotting coolly into the bottom corner.
Yet, out of nowhere, Le Havre levelled with their initial attempt on goal. Fode Doucoure headed to Issa Soumare, and after the ball came back to him, he nodded it beyond the stranded Berke Ozer.
This strike meant a league-record 18 of Lille's games have been tied at the interval, even with more chances for each team to go in front at the break.
Diaw pushed away Correia's low shot near the post, before Mbwana Samatta drifted in and bent towards the opposite corner, but Ozer diverted it.
Haraldsson sought to calm the home crowd right after the restart, his shot taking a deflection and striking the frame of the goal from near the edge of the box. Lille kept up the assault, with Diaw dropping a delivery yet recovering swiftly to deny Mukau at point-blank range.
Matias Fernandez-Pardo enjoyed a subdued outing relative to his colleagues, though he lost a prime chance to build on his decisive strike versus Paris FC in the previous match, as Loic Nego superbly intercepted his on-target bid.
The Mastiffs kept testing in the closing phases, yet failed to secure the decisive blow and thus could not extend their advantage to three points over fourth-placed Olympique Lyonnais.
For Le Havre, they have now gone 10 games without a win (D6, L4) but are inching towards security, sitting seven points above the relegation play-off position.