Asolely after solely beat Strasbourg Because of a late penalty kicked by Kylian Mbappé final week, PSG had a far-from-best match with Lens on Sunday. Along with Lionel Messi, the visiting workforce didn’t embrace Neymar, who was suspended from Strasbourg, and the injured Nuno Mendes, Renato Sanches and Presnel Kimpembe trio. However specializing in PSG’s shortcomings does an amazing disservice to Lens and enticing Franck Haise. Story Lens win 3-1 It wasn’t about PSG dropping – it was extra about Lens profitable.

Lens had been unfortunate to overlook a spot in Europe this season after Nantes’ shock victory within the Coupe de France closing. They’ve largely retained their religion in the identical workforce as final season and have resisted presents for a lot of of their greatest gamers. There have been some adjustments, resembling Ghanaian worldwide Salis Abdul Samed changing Cheick Doucouré in midfield and intelligent buys from Jonathan Clauss to Przemyslaw Frankowski in addition to goalkeeper Brice Samba, who acted heroically on the Loïs Open and in opposition to PSG. The outcomes continued to pay dividends.

Many followers and golf equipment in France have expressed their displeasure at having to play through the festive season, however Lens would possible play in opposition to PSG, a contest that has been circled on the calendar since 2018. 1. League property had been launched. The match was additionally a trigger for celebration because it marks Haise’s a centesimal yr in command of the membership.

He was additionally honored by the membership’s jersey provider, Puma, who created a burnt gold jersey for the hosts. The shirt was embellished with the emblem of Lens from the Fifties, with a prominently displayed mining lamp and the names of native mines within the background in a delicate motif. Designed to honor Saint Barbara, the patron saint of miners, a occupation carefully related to the north of France, the equipment featured a extra tonal palette than the same old shiny yellows and reds, however Lens’s efficiency and Haise’s enthusiasm had been something however subdued. .

On the finish of the match, Haise and his gamers stayed on the sector at Stade Bollaert-Delelis and celebrated with enthusiastic spectators. Haise carried out the hymn: “Olélé, olala, mais qu’est-ce qui s’est passé? At Les a chicotes!” Roughly translated, “what occurred?” He asks the rhetorical query. after which responds with a powerful assertion: “We shook them!” The environment in Lens is at all times energetic, however Haise’s ardour after the sport and her gamers’ efforts through the competitors matched the roar of the gang, at the same time as they missed lengthy absences David Da Costa and Jimmy Cabot.

Lens shook PSG from the very starting, which had all of the vitality it wanted to shake up its opponents. There have been additionally loads of blunders from Gianluigi Donnarumma within the PSG aim, the Italian flapping its wings after an interruption by Massadio Haïdara earlier than Frankowski went residence to clear the rating within the fifth minute. The goalkeeper in all probability might have finished extra to cease Openda from doubling Lens’s lead with an amazing end later within the first half, however that may have taken the credit score for the wonderful one-inch, defensive-splitting ball from the Belgian’s marksman and Seko Fofana. Moments after he left his Ivorian rival to die.

This isn’t a brand new story for Haise. He led Lens in 5 video games in opposition to PSG they usually solely misplaced one. Haise has equally sturdy information in opposition to Marseille, Monaco and Rennes; It is a supervisor whose capability to encourage his workforce for an enormous recreation ought to by no means be underestimated, though he will definitely grieve within the reminiscence of his workforce’s solely defeat within the derby in opposition to Lille this season.

Their goalless draw in opposition to a blind Good aspect was irritating final week, however on Sunday night they had been significantly better. Lens has put PSG below strain, aggravated and stalked for one man. Samba needed to create some moments of magic to maintain PSG out, however his workforce’s third aim was superb. Openda’s calm response to Alexis Claude-Maurice was glorious and underlined Lens’s important forward-looking expertise.

The lens is equally spectacular on the again. They defended with their lives within the second half and every of the again trio – Jonathan Gradit, Kevin Danso and Facundo Medina – put up nice performances, a reminder that this workforce would not have the perfect protection within the league accidentally. Extra checks are coming and a title battle might be not on the horizon till we get slightly bit nearer to PSG. However for now, Lens seems like the perfect, most constant workforce within the league, deftly combining sensible play on the bench with decided protection. This outcome introduced it to full display screen. As Haise mentioned after the sport: “This win exhibits that we will beat anybody within the league, even PSG, and we will do it in type!”

speaking factors

Monaco appears to be roaring in the direction of the highest three. After an unstable begin to the season, they’ve gained 9 of their final 12 video games and are simply three factors away from third place Marseille. Younger Eliesse Ben Seghir was in kind once more after his double in opposition to Auxerre, however it was Aleksandr Golovin who made the distinction in opposition to Brest. Rus was the match’s solely aim scorer, scoring in every of his final 5 video games within the league, and his progress was chosen for reward by his post-match supervisor Philippe Clement. Monaco has quite a lot of offensive choices, however the maverick high quality of Golovin’s recreation, his arrows are like arrows.

Issues are getting increasingly more unsettling in Strasbourg, because the host is as soon as once more late, this time by Troyes. After a summer time by which they held groups like Ludovic Ajorque and Alexander Djiku and hoped to rise in Europe, the workforce is second and according to Lens with out a residence win this season. Strasbourg scored extra objectives and conceded fewer objectives than the opposite three groups within the relegation zone. Lyon eighth, but when these slim outcomes do not begin rolling in, adjustments might be imminent. La Meinau.

Lyon bumped up that variety of losses in opposition to Clermont this weekend, and the harm to Alexandre Lacazette will not do a lot for Laurent Blanc’s stress ranges both. At the moment missing Corentin Tolisso, Houssem Aouar and fullbacks Malo Gusto and Henrique, the workforce has choices, however their aim of returning to Europe subsequent week appears much less possible.