Ligue 1 – 32nd day: Lens offers the derby on the lawn of Lille (1-2)

Lens does it again and confirms its superiority in the North derby. Third derby and third victory for the Sang et Or this season, in a packed Pierre-Mauroy stadium on Saturday for the 32nd day of Ligue 1 (1-2). From the game and the opportunities, the two northern formations served up an entertaining spectacle, like attractive Artesians and scorers through Przemyslaw Frankowski (4th) and Arnaud Kalimuendo (37th). Despite an uneven first act, the Mastiffs, thanks to a header from Xeka, kept hope just before the break (45th + 1). With more desire and opportunities in the second half, the locals tried everything, but without success. The operation is expensive for the reigning French champions, still relegated to four lengths from Europe. A sesame that is getting closer for Lens, now 7th (50 points) ahead of his evening opponent, two small points from the top 5.

LOSC pays for a missed first period

The 115th Northern Derby delivered promises, and they were kept. Rewarded with a great start, the Sang et Or opened the scoring on an outside kick from Przemyslaw Frankowski (4th), alone at the far post after a corner. More leggy and precise than their counterparts from Lille, the Artésiens almost quickly made things worse, but Arnaud Kalimuendo was very uninspired when making the right choices (20th, 26th). The third was finally the right one for the Habs, author of his tenth achievement of the season on a shot blocked by José Fonte (37th).

Unstructured, LOSC struggled to get into their match, dangerous only on a few embers left by their artists, Renato Sanches (21st) and Edon Zhegrova (24th) in the lead. For his first tenure, the Kosovar international colored the Lille game and was often the instigator of the Dogues’ chances. It was precisely he who dropped a remote-controlled ball on Xeka, whose crossed head allowed the locals to return to the locker room with hope (45th + 1).

40 years later, Lens wins the two derbies in the league

Irritated by the scenario and the scuffles at the break, the Lille residents returned to the lawn with the morale of conquerors. Discreet in the first period, Jonathan Bamba took his time before putting Wuilker Fariñez to work (53rd, 63rd). Reassuring in the air and feline on his line, the Venezuelan confirmed all the potential that Franck Haise saw in him. After twenty minutes in agony, the Sang et Or took advantage of a physical backlash from LOSC to resume play on their own. However, the main opportunities were still Lille, like this attempt by Zhegrova on the post (66th).

Jostled and crippled with cramps, the Artésiens resisted as best they could to the waves of the Mastiffs, too little lucid once in the zone of truth to reverse the fate of the meeting, similar to the two other derbies of the season. The opportunity to dust off some pages of history for RC Lens, which had been waiting for a victory in Lille in a confrontation against its regional rival for 19 years. Another performance of choice, the visitors won the two meetings against the Mastiffs this season in the league, a first for 40 years. Never two without three, and to stay on the statistical side, Lens (7th, 50 points) takes advantage of this success to pass his evening opponent (8th, 48 points). Europe is now close at hand for Franck Haise’s men. A less readable truth for Lille, still pushed back four lengths from the top 5, and under the threat of a white season. Like these lost derbies.