PARIS: Lens climbed up to second place in Ligue 1 on Saturday as in-form Belgian striker Lois Openda scored twice in a 3-0 win over bottom club Angers.

Captain Seko Fofana fired Lens ahead on 26 minutes before Openda added a quick-fire second for the hosts.

Openda, who bagged a five-minute hat-trick in last weekend’s rout of Clermont, struck again early in the second half to move up to 14 goals for the season.

Lens are attempting to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 2002-03, the season

after they were pipped to the French title on the final day. Lens also pulled six points clear of fourth-placed Monaco.

The top two in France go directly into the Champions League group stage, while the third-placed team starts in the third qualifying round.

Lille are up to fifth after a 2-0 win at Toulouse courtesy of late goals from Alexsandro and Mohamed Bayo in a game briefly held up by a hailstorm.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2023