Lens come from behind to beat 10-man Brest
Lens registered their second win on the bounce, following last weekend's win against Le Havre (2-1), however, they had to come from behind to do it. Pierre Sage's side created plenty of chances in the first half, but lacked the finishing touch.
Malang Sarr needed two attempts to test Radoslaw Majecki in the Brest goal, but the Poland international was equal to the former Chelsea, Nice and Monaco centre-back's close-range effort.
Youngster Rayan Fofana also had plenty of chances, including an effort that dribbled just wide, but it was Eric Roy's Brest side who took the lead against the run of play. Kamory Doumbia was a menace throughout, finding spaces in dangerous areas and distributing to good effect. He did well to benefit from some good Luodivc Ajorque pressing, threading through a pinpoint pass for Mama Baldé, who beat Robin Risser in the Lens goal first time.
Doumbia then had the chance to set up another shortly after, but from a tight angle, he opted for the shot, not the pass, much to the frustration of his teammates. But after a wave of Ty-Zéf pressure, Lens re-seized the upper-hand.
Fofana had another glorious chance after being put through by Adrien Thomasson, but first-time, he opened his instep too much, deflecting the ball inches wide. Thomasson himself then had the chance to score, but completely mishit his effort from a matter of yards out.
A double blow for Brest
Wesley Said then forced Majecki into a save, allowing the Breton club to take a lead heading into the break, against the run of play.
The turning point came in the 55th minute. Majecki came charging out, attempting to reach a ball put over the top. However, he was beaten to it by Fofana, who took the contact, right on the edge of the box, earning the penalty. Majecki was sent off.
Grégoire Coudert waited on his line, awaiting Florian Thauvin's penalty, which was slotted right past him - the former Marseille man, on his first goal since his return to Ligue 1 McDonald's, and an important one at that.
Coudert, however, in the moments after, kept parity. Fofana was denied again, and it was the Lens youngster who then squandered another glorious chance, smashing a close-range rebound into the side netting. Coudert then denied a Matthieu Udol header, however, Brest's resistance was eventually broken.
So good to see Thauvin scoring again in Ligue 1 🫶🥹 pic.twitter.com/BNXIGLwEXN
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) August 29, 2025
Boubakary Soumaré saw a shot deflected on the line, but the ball dropped perfectly for substitute Morgan Guilavogui, who blasted home the loose ball. Brest continued to look threatening on the break, and there would be a fourth goal in this encounter.
However, it would come for Lens. Thomasson latched onto a ball from another substitute, Saud Abdulhamid, to get Lens' third and secure the result. It is a result - provisionally - lifts Lens to third. Brest, meanwhile, languish in lower mid-table after back-to-back losses. Roy's side remain without a win yet in this Ligue 1 McDonald's campaign.
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