Nantes have moved up to 14th position in the Ligue 1 table after an early strike from Jules Iloki proved enough to see off Lille.
Moments after Alejandro Bedoya had missed out from close range, Nantes were rewarded for their fast start as Iloki fired into the roof of the net from inside the six-yard box.
The following 20 minutes were dominated by Lille, with Junior Tallo missing with a header, while Sofiane Boufal had a shot from long range comfortably saved.
Soon after the restart, Marko Basa missed out with a header from inside the penalty area, and Lille's frustration only increased when Boufal saw Remy Riou save his effort from the left side of the box.
Lille continued to push for an equaliser during the closing stages, but Nantes held out to record their first away win of the season.
Darren Plant
