From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishhold the lead/advantagehold the lead/advantageto be winning in a competition, game etc Celtic held the lead in the first half. → hold
Examples from the Corpus
hold the lead/advantage• She held the lead and quietly plodded upward through the crisp snow that covered the long Baskan Glacier.• New Zealand held the lead for long periods and their frequent advantages depended on the only try of the match.• She held the lead in her gloved hands; behind her was Selene, with hers protected by a muff.• But this time Carlos Sainz, who had held the lead since Tuesday, came third in a Toyota.• In race one, Hodgson was able to get a better run through the backmarkers and hold the lead to the line. 