Years pass and they are not the same. Last year, in order to return Lens to the first level, Lille won the derby matches in the league by scoring 7 goals without conceding any goal. This season, French champion Lille lost 2 derbies in L1 against Artésiens – for the first time in 40 years! – They even lost on penalties to their rivals in the last 16 of the Coupe de France last January.
On Saturday evening, in an important match for the Tour of Europe, RC Lens beat its neighbor Pierre-Moroy (1-2) during day 32 of L1. Frank Hayes’ men are back in seventh, 3 lengths from Monaco (4) who hold the Europa League ticket. Lusk (eighth), who finished eighth in the Champions League final this season, has undoubtedly left his last hopes in Europe dashed for next year.
What to remember
Both teams played in this northern derby. Away from the first leg, which was poor on the ground and marred by accidents in the stands. Solid and quick in transitions, Lensois opened the scoring in the first corner of the game. Frankowski, alone in control of the far post, scores closely at the right hemisphere (0-1, 4).
Then Lil interacts with Renato Sanchez. The Portuguese managed to get rid of the narrow defenses and fired a shot from the right side that hit the base of the opposite vertical (21). Then comes the Arnaud Kalimuendo show. After two attempts brilliantly blocked by Jardim, the striker loaned from Paris Saint-Germain scored the second half goal thanks to a shot from Font’s thigh that went on Jardim in the wrong direction (0-2, 37). In the last second of extra time in the first term, Lusk reduced the score by Xeka who took advantage of Gradit’s lax scores to score with a cross header from close range (1-2, 45+1). A target causes fights in the tunnel to the locker room. Referee Jerome Brisard picks a warning to Lille Sanchez and Linçois Gradet after they are called back to the pitch with their coach.
After returning from the locker room, Lille dominates but lacks a bit of subtlety. Artesian goalkeeper Farines stops in front of Bamba (53) and then sees Zigrova’s shot passed near his right side (65). Despite forcing Lil at the end of the game, Lens maintained its first success away from its northern rival for 19 years.
Player: Seiko Fofana
Seko Fofana is clearly the lensois accelerator. The 26-year-old French Ivorian, who trained at the Paris Football Club, recovered several balls in the midfield and managed to serve his teammates with precision. His calm was very helpful in a hot derby. He could even score his eighth goal of the season. His curling shot from 25 m was hit superbly by Lille goalkeeper Leo Jardim into his niche (33).
Number: 1
Like the number of goals Jonathan David has scored since the start of 2022. Lille Guilidor scored 12 goals during the first leg. This incompetence of the Canadian striker explains Lusk’s difficulties offensively. This Saturday evening, he only touched one ball in the lens area. A little bit.
reactions
Leo Jardim (Lil) at the channel + microphone: “We lost so I understood the reaction of the fans. We tried everything but didn’t do enough to win the match. I think we can still qualify for Europe. There are 6 matches left. We are still in the race. Sometimes we work but the result does not reach”
Jonathan Klaus (Lens) in the channel + microphone: “We were on a good run with those two derbies we won already during the season and we definitely wanted to get through all three. We put the ingredients in the first half. We take a small goal that annoys us a little bit. Then we showed personal strength like last week against Nice. The team that wanted to win is the most winning. It was There are a few squabbles but that’s part of the derby. Nice’s 3-0 win did a lot of good for us. We’ll make sure we go as far as we can.”
