The Océane stadium roars and whistles its players copiously, as it has become accustomed to for several weeks. Le Havre continues its decline with a 6th defeat in a row (the 5th in L 1) against Lens (1-2). Even if they showed a completely different face than against OM (5-1), Le Havre are still 17th.
For Lens, in full change during this transfer window marked by the departure of goalkeeper and captain Brice Samba for Rennes, while waiting for other recruits including a goalkeeper, the operation is beautiful. The Lensois return to two points from the top 5 and Lille.
Koffi’s convincing interim role
Already a scorer last Sunday for his return to the Vélodrome stadium in Marseille, André Ayew opened the score with a header (1-0, 8th). But Goduine Koyalipou, who arrived on Thursday from CSKA Sofia for 2 million euros and who Will Still did not hesitate to start, was quick to make his presence known. The 24-year-old striker, who had only known the National in France with Niort and Angers, equalized with a header (1-1, 28th) after a good cross from Florian Sotoca. Koyalipou, who had scored 11 goals in his last 8 matches in Bulgaria, continued his momentum to celebrate his first Lensoise in the best possible way.
In the second half, Lens accelerated a little more. Gauthier Lloris must save on his line a shot from Adrien Thomasson (48th) then Arthur Desmas must intervene on the recovery from Florian Sotoca (56th). But Le Havre will eventually fold. On a cross from Frankowski, 4th assist of the season, Deiver Machado materializes with a header, the ascendancy taken by his team (1-2, 77th). The Burkinabé Hervé Koffi, whom the Lensois leaders want to put in competition with a goalkeeper who would be number 1, has continued his rather convincing interim.
“What happens in the transfer window doesn’t change anything for us players, we know how it goes, we stay focused on the pitch. It’s an important victory, we’re happy, we have to continue like this,” underlines Przemysław Frankowski speaking to DAZN.
“We showed a different state of mind than against OM, that was already the goal. It’s hard but we still believe in it to maintain, we are only at the end of the first legs, there are matches left”, positive for his part Le Havre Rassoul Ndiaye.
