The Colombian defender of Lens Deiver Machado (g) has just opened the scoring against Rennes, August 20, 2023 in Lens (FRANCOIS LO PRESTI)
Vice-champion of France, Lens did not manage to start his season for his first match in his fortress Bollaert by stumbling against Rennes (1-1) on Sunday during the second day of Ligue 1, a week after his defeat against Brest .
The Breton clubs are definitely not successful in the Blood and Gold, which are only thirteenth in the standings, tied on points (1) with Le Havre, while Rennes takes advantage of its card last weekend against Metz (5-1) to be third.
Enthusiastic dolphin of Paris Saint-Germain during the last exercise, the artesian club is struggling to reconnect with its level. However, he found the Bollaert Stadium, which did not drop in decibels, from the presentation of the new Lensois striker Elye Wahi, snatched from Montpellier in exchange for 35 million euros according to a source close to the club, to the final whistle.
The merits of his recruitment seemed obvious in view of this match, as the Lensois struggled to take depth. Positioned at the forefront of the attack, Florian Sotoca has got into the habit of moving out of the way to serve as support, but sometimes leaves a vacant spot.
Expected to replace the Belgian Loïs Openda, who left this summer to discover the prestigious Champions League with Leipzig rather than in Hauts-de-France, Wahi (20) will have the task of fulfilling it.
– Andy Diouf omnipresent –
In the meantime, it was still left-back Deiver Machado who scored, as in Brest, with a nice volley from outside the area after a corner, from the third minute, making explode Bollaert.
Driven by their boiling public, Franck Haise’s players then largely dominated the first twenty minutes, winning a number of duels. But then they eased off and the game fell into a false rhythm.
In this new torpor, midfielder Andy Diouf, who arrived in Artois this summer after notably passing through Rennes, shone in the midfield. At halftime, he also posted remarkable statistics: 100% of duels won (6/6), seven balls recovered, and 100% of successful tackles (3/3).
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But as in Brest a week earlier, Lens lacked vigilance and was surprised by a flash from its two former players: Arnaud Kalimuendo and Benjamin Bourigeaud.
The first recovered the ball from the feet of Salis Abdul Samed, who then mowed it down in the Lens area, before the second calmly transformed the penalty (53rd).
Despite the deafening pressure from the stadium, the Breton captain was very calm against the club that trained him, the public who applauded him during the warm-up.
Lens revolted on the hour mark and got several clear chances, most concluded by the inevitable Diouf. But the young midfielder (20 years old) lacked precision (65th twice) then one of his attempts hit the crossbar (72nd).
The Blood and Gold even came close to being punished a second time, but their new captain Brice Samba was the author of two saving parades, giving this draw a fairer character.
rbo/bvo
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