Lens arrives in the top 10!
This is the end of this meeting! Lens beats Nantes (4-0), as part of the tenth day of Ligue 1. Thanks to French striker Florian Sotoca, author of a double from the penalty spot (27th, 71st), to Argentinian defender Facundo Medina (58th) and French midfielder Neil El Aynaoui (89th). In the French championship rankings, Lens gained five places and found itself ninth. For its part, Nantes remains seventh.
Lens continues its momentum
Despite this great score, Lens spared no effort in these final moments.
There will be additional time…
…And even three minutes minimum.
El Aynaoui is part of the party!!! (4-0)
After a cross from the right, the ball is messed up. Cortes, at point blank range, strikes with the right, but his ball arrives for El Aynaoui, who scores with the left, into the empty goal!
Lens 10-11 Nantes
This is the record in terms of shootings, for the moment.
Adson doesn’t fit
Adson, on the left in the area, strikes with the left, but his ball flies away.
El Aynaoui shows himself
This corner is taken from right to left. El Aynaoui, in the area, hits from the right, but his ball goes wide!
Lens continues set pieces
Fulgini takes a free kick. His right shot is blocked by Chirivella. Corner for Lens.
Last change at Lens
Cortes enters. Sotoca, huge this Saturday evening, comes out to an ovation.
Duverne is warned
The Nantes player committed a foul on El Aynaoui.
Two last changes in Nantes
Merlin and Moutoussamy come out. Hadjam and Sissoko enter.
Possession of the ball remains for…
… Lens (54% against 46% for Nantes).
Another double change for Lens
Fulgini and El Aynaoui enter. Thomasson and Diouf exit.
Nantes tries to react
Mohamed takes a free kick, but his right shot does not hit the target.
The flag rises
It is Haidara who is flagged in an offside position.
The double for Sotoca (3-0)!!!
Sotoca takes charge of this new penalty and transforms it with a right strike. Lafont, going to the right, is wrong-footed!
Penalty for Lens!
In the area, left side, Guilavogui strikes from the right. His ball is crossed too much. The referee whistles a hand from Castelletto, who slowed down this strike!
Coaching time in Lens
Haidara and Guilavogui enter. Machado and Wahi come out.
The referee shows a yellow card
He warns Comert, but also Wahi.
It’s hot between Comert and Wahi!
Tempers are heating up. Everyone gets involved.
Mohamed’s complicated gesture
In the area, Mohamed takes his chance from the right, but it is not dangerous, and especially countered by Medina.
Lafont saves his own!
After a cross from Machado, Wahi, in the area, strikes from point blank range with the right. Lafont, who had anticipated, distinguished himself with a magnificent parade!
It’s coaching time in Nantes
Simon and Abline come out. Bamba and Mostafa Mohamed enter.
Lens takes the break!!!! (2-0)
Medina, served by Sotoca behind at the entrance to the area, takes the time to control, before scoring with a powerful right strike!
The game resumes
With even Duverne who has regained his place.
A Nantes resident on the ground
Duverne complains about his left ankle. He is on the ground and the trainers enter the lawn.
No change at break
We left with the same 22 actors.
Corner for Lens
The Lensois are pressing at the start of the second half. With a corner obtained thanks to Diouf.
A flag is already rising
Wahi is flagged in an offside position.
Here we go for the second half!
The kick-off was given and Lens started.
It’s halftime!
At the end of the first 45 minutes of play, Lens leads against Nantes (1-0), thanks to a goal from French striker Florian Sotoca, from the penalty spot (26th).
There will be additional time
And even two minutes minimum.
Simon tries to make a move
From a distance, Simon tries a right move, but it is without danger for Samba.
We leave with a ball on the ground
The game was stopped for a few seconds, when a camera protection was found in the Samba area, due to the wind.
Wahi, in the small net!
Continuing the action, and after a counter, Aguilar, on the right, sends a cross to the far post. For Wahi, who struggles to hit with the left, but it ends in the small net!
Another blocked strike
From afar, Moutoussamy strikes with the left, but he is countered by Danso.
Moutoussamy is missed!
In a good striking position, in the surf, Moutoussamy cannot straighten this ball with his left foot. It’s next to! What an opportunity!
Lens 3-5 Nantes
This is the record in terms of shootings, for the moment.
Possession of the ball is for…
Lens (56% against 44% for Nantes).
Abline is above
After a cross from Simon from the left, Abline, at the far post, cannot straighten the ball with his head. His attempt goes over the top.
Simon is too fair!
After a cross from the right, Simon, at the far post, can only touch the ball with his left, which escapes him!
Sotoca transforms this penalty!!! (1-0)
Sotoca takes care of this penalty and transforms it with a right strike! Lafont, starting on the right side, on his left, sees this ball pass under his stomach!
Penalty for Lens!
The referee returns and designates the penalty spot, after this foul by Duverne on Thomasson.
The referee is called by the VAR
The referee will go and check the images himself on this disputed action.
Lens demands a penalty!
Thomasson collapsed in the area. The Lensois demand a penalty. The game is stopped.
Abdul Samed, it’s barely missed!
After this corner, Abdul Samed, in the area, strikes, but it goes just wide!
Wahi collides with Lafont!
Wahi infiltrates the area, before hitting from the right, from a tight angle. Lafont intervenes and concedes a corner!
Nantes at the front
The Nantes people even get a corner, thanks to Simon.
Big cross from Mollet!
On the right, Mollet sends a cross in front of the goal. Abline throws himself to head, but he can’t touch the ball!
The pressure on the Nantes goal
After a cross from the right, Machado, in the area, comes up against the opposing defense.
Thomasson is requested
After the corner and a cross, Thomasson is found in the area. His header forces Lafont to intervene and seize the ball in two stages.
Lens insists in front
Thanks to Aguilar, Lens gets a corner on the right side.
The Lens attack is stopped dead in its tracks
Wahi was caught offside. Nantes will therefore be able to get back on track.
Moutoussamy also tries his luck
From a distance, Moutoussamy takes his chance from the left, but his ball flies away.
Samba’s first intervention!
Merlin, on the left, at the entrance to the area, attempts a half-volley from the left, but Samba relaxes to his left to intervene!
Machado begins to lose his nerve
Big duel between Machado and Cömert. It is the Lensois who is penalized for a fault.
Sotoca runs down the right side
But the referee whistles a foul from Wahi at the start of this action.
First strike for Mollet
Mollet, at the entrance to the area, strikes from the right. His shot, too crushed, is blocked by Medina.
Here we go for the first period!
The kick-off was given and Nantes started.
Who will score first?
Since the start of this Ligue 1 season, Nantes’ top scorer is Egyptian striker Mostafa Mohamed (25), author of five goals. The center forward starts this match on the substitutes’ bench. On the Lens side, it is Colombian defender Deiver Machado (30 years old), with three goals.
Lens, a red zone to let go away
For its part, Lens (two wins, three draws, four defeats) is fourteenth (as at home) with nine points, eight goals scored, like Strasbourg and Metz and thirteen goals conceded. A victory and the club would move away from the relegation zone, to climb to ninth place.
Nantes, a top 5 to look for
In the Ligue 1 standings, Nantes (four wins, two draws, three defeats) is seventh (but eighth away) with fourteen points, the third best attack, tied with Reims (sixteen goals scored) and fourth worst defense (fifteen goals conceded). A victory and the club would climb into the top 5.
Nantes, the taste for traveling to work
In Ligue 1 and outside, Nantes have won two of their last three meetings. Including his last trip, on October 6, on the lawn of Strasbourg (1-2).
Nantes, good momentum to maintain
In Ligue 1, Nantes have lost only one of their last seven matches. it was last October 1, on the Rennes pitch (3-1). During this same period, in the elite, the club also has two draws but also and above all four victories, including two in its last two outings.
Lens, a lair to preserve
This famous defeat on September 16, in Ligue 1, against Metz (0-1), is also Lens’ last defeat at home. Since then, in all competitions and in its lair, the club has had two victories then two draws.
Lens, a series to continue
Lens has not lost a single match since September 16. It was in Ligue 1, against Metz (0-1). Since then, in all competitions, the club has played seven matches. For a record of three wins and four draws, including three in his last three outings.
A move to play for Nantes?
The last confrontation between the two teams dates back to March 1. During the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France, Nantes eliminated Lens (2-1)thanks to a double of penalties from Algerian striker Andy Delort (31st, 59th), after the opening score from Ivorian midfielder Seko Fofana (28th).
Pierre Gaillouste on the whistle
At the Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens, the referee of the match will be Pierre Gaillouste.
Only one change in the eleven… The Nantes line-up
Compared to the last outing, last Sunday, in Ligue 1, against Montpellier (2-0), Pierre Aristouy (Nantes) makes just one small change in his starting lineup. French midfielder Moussa Sissoko (34 years old), on the bench, is replaced by Cameroonian defender Jean-Charles Castelletto (28 years old).
A 5-2-3 system: Lafont – Coco, Duverne, Cömert, Castelletto, Merlin – Chirivella (c), Moutoussamy – Mollet, Abline, Simon.
Substitutes: Descamps (g), Sissoko, Pierre-Gabriel, Mohamed, Adson, Hadjam, Bamba, Ganago, Pallois.
Absent: Augusto and Centonze.
Returns of Aguilar, Diouf and Thomasson… The Lens lineup
Compared to the last match, last Tuesday, in the Champions League, against PSV (1-1), Franck Haise (Lens) makes three changes to his starting lineup. Polish midfielder Przemyslaw Frankowski (28 years old), Senegalese midfielder Nampalys Mendy (31 years old) and French midfielder Angelo Fulgini (27 years old) sit on the bench and are replaced by French defender Ruben Aguilar (30 years old), French striker Andy Diouf (20 years old) and French midfielder Adrien Thomasson (29 years old).
A 3-4-3 system: B. Samba (c) – Gradit, Danso, Medina – Aguilar, Abdul Samed, A. Diouf, Machado – Sotoca, Wahi, Thomasson.
Substitutes: Leca (g), Haïdara, Khusanov, Frankowski, Fulgini, El Aynaoui, Mendy, Cortés, Guilavogui.
Absent: Cabot and Farinez.
Match night at Bollaert
Hello everyone ! A few days after its draw against PSV in the Champions League, Lens, 14th in Ligue 1 before the start of the 10th day, hosts Nantes, 7th, this Saturday evening. Kick-off at 9 p.m. in live commentary from RMC Sport.