"To defend a lead" means to protect or safeguard the advantage or winning position that a team or individual has in a competition or game. It involves putting efforts to prevent the opposing team or player from catching up or overturning the lead.
Sentences with «to defend a lead»
Spurs usually don't defend a lead well when we sit back, but here we were able to hang on. (spursfanatic.com)
The team would be happy to sit back and defend its lead rather than try to add more goals. (justarsenal.com)
The Gunners forgot the nouns of defending a lead in the game when they had that advantage in the PSG game. (justarsenal.com)