After a disputed shock, Lens won against Olympique de Marseille (2-1) during the 34th day of Ligue 1 thanks to goals from Seko Fofana and Loïs Openda, this Saturday, May 6. The Lensois recover second place in the championship and put pressure on the Parisian leader.
The pressure is increasing on Paris Saint-Germain. Winner of the shock of the 34th day against Olympique de Marseille, RC Lens took the place of runner-up in Ligue 1 from the Phocaeans and settled in ambush (72 points) of the Parisian leader, who has 75 points before his match against Troyes this Sunday, May 7.
The two teams did not wait to enter this peak, showing physical intensity from the first seconds. The Lensois quickly put their foot on the ball, but it was from the Marseille camp that the first major chance of the match came. Alexis Sánchez, after a physical duel with Kevin Danso, managed to steal the ball from him near the surface before winning his face-to-face against the Lensois goalkeeper with a lot of composure (8th). But his joy was short-lived, his goal being finally canceled by Mr. Turpin who deemed his contact with the Lensois defender irregular.
The Ivorian international Seko Fofana then fired a superb shot from 20 meters, which came crashing into the left post of the Marseille goalkeeper (22nd), visibly beaten. Very restless, Loïs Openda also put the Marseille defenders in difficulty with his speed without however managing to get close enough to the opposing cage to be dangerous. Former Lensois Jonathan Clauss could have opened the scoring for OM after a ball slipped between the defenders by Cengiz Ünder, but his attempt only found the side netting (37th).
On a new occasion, captain Seko Fofana then freed the Lensois public by rolling his ball perfectly in the Marseille skylight to sign the opener (42nd, 1-0). In additional time, Brice Samba deployed well on his line to repel the shot from Jordan Veretout (45th + 2) and allow the Lensois to stay ahead at the break.
4 – Marseille’s 4 matches against the other teams on the podium in Ligue 1 this season:
0-1 v Paris (J11)
0-1 v Lens (J12)
0-3 v Paris (J25)
1-2 v Lens (J34)Third? #RCLOM pic.twitter.com/v2GkJwxmdY
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) May 6, 2023
The implacable realism of the Lensois
Led to the score, the Marseillais were more enterprising at the start of the second period by approaching more of the Lensoise surface without managing to be precise, as on the ill-adjusted header of Leonardo Balerdi (50th). Patient in the face of the onslaught of the Phocaeans and more realistic in the counter-attack, the Sang et Or then doubled the lead thanks to Loïs Openda (60th, 2-0) after a cross at the far post from Frankowski.
Despite high pressing and quick recoveries, Igor Tudor’s players remained without solutions for a long time in front of the defensive discipline of the Lensois, who did not go far from worsening the score several times (82nd, 84th). Entering the game in the 76th minute, Dimitri Payet revived hope in the Marseille camp by deceiving the opposing goalkeeper at the end of the game (88th, 2-1). A too late awakening on the part of OM, who let themselves be overtaken by Lens and gave up their place as runner-up in the championship at the end of this shock.
Already guaranteed to compete in the Champions League next season, the Lensois are now forcing PSG to react in the title race. The capital club, which is experiencing a turbulent end to the season on the lawn and behind the scenes, no longer has the right to make mistakes and must not stumble against Troyes, this Sunday, May 7, under penalty of seeing its eleventh Ligue 1 crown slipping through his fingers.