PARIS: A 98th-minute penalty by Jonathan David set Lille up to take the bragging rights at the home of their northern rivals Lens on Saturday, while Brest completed an impressive week by winning 2-1 at Reims.
David's penalty was followed up three minutes later by a breakaway Mohamed Bayo strike to complete a stunning 2-0 win for the visitors.
The result sent Lille level on 17 points with third-placed Marseille, while Lens' first defeat on the season left them in fifth spot, three points behind their rivals.
Lens and Lille both cancelled each other out in a hard-fought encounter that appeared destined to end goalless until the 94th minute.
Kevin Danso flew in to challenge for a cross at the near post and the ball ricocheted up and hit his outstretched arm.
The referee was called over to review the VAR monitor, confirming his original decision to award a spot-kick.
After a long wait, David stepped up and stroked the ball into the right corner to grab the three points for Lille in the 98th minute.
With Lens desperately searching for an equaliser, Lille broke and Bayo squeezed the ball past the goalkeeper in the 101st minute to complete the win.
Earlier, two goals inside the opening 20 minutes were enough to secure a 2-1 win for Brest at sixth-placed Reims.
Brest have failed to translate their excellent form in their debut Champions League campaign into success on the domestic front so far this term.
But following a 1-1 draw with Bundesliga winners Bayer Leverkusen in Europe on Wednesday that won Eric Roy's side plenty of plaudits, they won their fourth game of the league season to move to eighth place.
A Romain Faivre penalty in the fourth minute sent them on their way before Mama Balde doubled the lead on 18 minutes.
Joseph Okumu halved the deficit with a header one minute before the half-hour but the away team managed to hold firm for the remaining hour to claim victory.
Angers escaped the relegation zone with a 4-2 home win against fellow strugglers Saint-Etienne.
Himad Abdelli, Jean-Eudes Aholou, Ibrahima Niane and Bamba Dieng were on target for the hosts.
Zuriko Davitashvili levelled twice for Saint-Etienne either side of half-time, but once Niane converted a 69th-minute penalty for Angers, Les Verts were unable to again find a response.
The result gave Angers their first win of the campaign, after being promoted back to the top flight from Ligue 2 last season.
They now sit 14th in the table, level on seven points with Saint-Etienne, who are just one spot above the relegation play-off position.
The derbies continue today as high-flying Monaco travel along the south coast to visit mid-table neighbours Nice.
The day's final match sees resurgent Marseille host Paris Saint-Germain in the season's first 'Classique', with just three points separating the bitter rivals. - AFP