Clear Lens victory this Saturday, in Bollaert, with a double from Sotoca. FRANCOIS LO PRESTI / AFP
The Sang et Or quietly disposed of the Canaries (4-0) this Saturday, during the 10th day of the championship.
Things are better in Lens. The French vice-champions dominated Nantes (4-0) this Saturday, on the 10th day of Ligue 1. Florian Sotoca, author of a double from the penalty spot, Facundo Medina and Neil El Aynaoui for the northern scorers , a few days after a 1-1 draw against PSV Eindhoven in C1.
The stars of the Champions League aside, RC Lens found the daily bread of Ligue 1 in front of their Bollaert crowd. With Diouf aligned in the midfield and Thomasson behind Wahi, the Sang et Or initially suffered against Nantes’ 5-2-3, well organized and effective in pressing. The left piston Merlin called upon Brice Samba (11th) for the first time while Simon distinguished himself with several dangerous crosses. Jostled, the Artesians relied on the incessant activity of Sotoca, at the origin of the action ended by Wahi’s strike, repelled by Lafont (24th). On the next corner, Abdul Samed shot wide but, above all, Duverne missed the ball to hit Thomasson. With the help of the video, Mr Gaillouste awarded a penalty to the locals, allowing Sotoca to successfully open the scoring (1-0, 27th). This goal was not going to slow down the ambitions of the Canaries, always threatening but imprecise in the zone of truth. Like Moutoussamy, alone at six meters, who completely missed his left-footed shot (36th). Nantes could bite their fingers but at least avoided conceding 2-0 before the break, Wahi finding the small outside net on a service from Aguilar (40th). In line with their last two successes (against Strasbourg and Montpellier), Pierre Aristouy’s players showed good intentions which remained in the locker room at half-time.
The Medina festival
After the usual “Corons” intoned by Bollaert, Franck Haise’s team raised the tone to quickly take a break. Still as imperial behind, the Argentinian defender Medina turned into an attacker, scoring with a clear strike on the edge of the area after a nice little bridge and well-felt relays with Thomasson then Sotoca (2-0, 58th). Despite the entry of their top scorer Mohamed, the Canaries no longer responded, with the exception of Lafont, author of a sublime save in front of Wahi (61st). The Yellow and Green finally gave in for good nine minutes later, when Sotoca scored his double, again on a penalty, after a handball from Castelletto (3-0, 70th). The party was complete in Bollaert, the Sang et Or continued to move forward without calculating. Coming into play in place of Diouf, still too discreet this evening, the young El Aynaoui, recruited from Nancy this summer, closed the show with his first achievement in the Artesian jersey (4-0, 89th). Third victory of the season in the championship for the French vice-champions.
In the Ligue 1 standings, Franck Haise’s players are breathing down their necks and climbing to ninth place. FC Nantes, interesting in the first half but non-existent in the second, are seventh before Sunday’s matches.
2023-10-29 19:35:52
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