RC Lens continued their strong run of form in Ligue 1 with a 3-0 away victory over Toulouse at the Stadium de Toulouse, extending their winning streak in all competitions to eight matches. The result opened a four point lead at the top of the table, at least temporarily, as Lens maintained their momentum in the title race.
The visitors asserted their authority early on and applied sustained pressure throughout the first half. Ismael Ganiou and Wesley Said both went close from set pieces, with Ganiou heading narrowly over from a corner and Said forcing Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes into a low save. Said would not be denied for long, as he reacted quickest when the ball rebounded off the post and finished from close range to give Lens the lead.
Said nearly doubled his tally shortly afterwards with another powerful header, but once again his effort drifted just wide. Lens did manage to extend their advantage before the interval, however, as Adrien Thomasson capitalised on another loose ball inside the area to finish confidently and make it 2-0.
Toulouse’s task became more difficult when Emersonn was shown a red card following a heavy challenge on Odsonne Edouard. Despite the numerical advantage, Lens were unable to add a third goal before half time, although they continued to pose a threat from dead ball situations. Andrija Bulatovic was denied by another sharp save from Restes after connecting with a free kick.
With the extra man, Lens controlled the second half and eventually sealed the result late on. Ganiou completed the scoring with a powerful strike past Restes in the closing moments, ensuring Lens remained the only side in Ligue 1 this season yet to drop points from a winning position, with 13 such victories recorded.
20 years old. 💎
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Ismaëlo Ganiou. 🇧🇫 pic.twitter.com/XGcRKsXcrv
The defeat brought Toulouse’s three match winning run in all competitions to an end, while their evening was further overshadowed by a late injury to Djibril Sidibe, who was forced off on a stretcher. For Lens, the comprehensive win underlined their consistency and kept them firmly at the summit of the Ligue 1 standings.
