PARIS: Florian Sotoca’s late penalty earned RC Lens a 1-0 home victory against Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday, extending their unbeaten run in Ligue 1 this season.
Lens, who played their usual attractive brand of football in a packed Stade Bollaert, are fourth with 21 points having won six and drawn three of their nine games, four points behind leaders Paris St Germain.
They lie one point adrift of surprise package Lorient, who are third after Theo Le Bris’ late strike earned them a 2-1 home win against Lille despite being reduced to 10 men after Dango Ouattara was sent off for picking up a second yellow card shortly after the hour.
Lyon’s fourth consecutive defeat left them in seventh place on 13 points and put added pressure on coach Peter Bosz.
Earlier on Sunday, fifth-placed Monaco beat Nantes 4-1 to snatch their fourth league victory in a row as Wissam Ben Yedder’s hat-trick put them on 17 points.
At Stade Bollaert, Lens dominated possession in the first half but Lyon had the better chance to take the lead when Alexandre Lacazette’s deflected shot hit the crossbar.
The hosts applied more pressure after the break and went close on two occasions, when Jimmy Cabot’s attempt brushed the post just before Anthony Lopes denied Wesley Said from point-blank range in the 76th.
Lens were however rewarded in the 82nd minute as Sotoca coolly converted a penalty after a Thiago Mendes handball, a week before they play Lille in the northern derby.
In the Breton drizzle, Lorient took the lead in the eighth minute as Stephane Diarra’s shot ricochetted round the goalmouth before rebounding into the net off visiting right-back Bafode Diakite.
Lorient were reduced to 10 men in the 62nd minute when Ouattara stamped on Adam Ounas and coach Regis Le Bris responded by bringing on his nephew Theo in the 67th minute.
Lille levelled 10 minutes later. Ounas cut inside and found Jonathan Bamba in the penalty area. He wrong-footed the defence by passing to Jonathan David who scored into an empty net.
Lille continued to push forward, but were caught out when Theo Le Bris fired home the winner with a shot between the keeper’s leg.
Elswehere, Toulouse beat Montpellier 4-2 in a game that was interrupted for 15 minutes in the second half as police used tear gas in the away end.
England Under-21 international Folarin Balogun notched his sixth goal of the season for Reims in a 2-2 draw at Troyes, Clermont won 3-1 at bottom side Ajaccio and Auxerre drew 1-1 with Brest.
Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2022
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