RC Lens hosted Nice this Saturday as part of the 6th day of Ligue 1. The Sang et Or, who finished at 10, had to settle for a 0-0 draw, unable to materialize their highlights. This is their 4th consecutive draw in the league. Hot throwback to this meeting.
RC Lens-Nice : 0-0 (0-0)
Saturday September 28, 2024 – 5 p.m. – 6th day of Ligue 1
Stade Bollaert-Delelis – 37,301 spectators
Referee: François Letexier
The match sheet:
RC Lens : Samba (cap.) – Gradit, Khusanov, Medina – Frankowski (Aguilar, 78′), Diouf (Mendy, 89′), Thomasson, Machado – Fulgini (Zaroury, 59′) – Saïd (Labeau Lascary, 59′), Nzola (Satriano, 78′).
Substitutes: Petric (g.), Chavez, Pereira Da Costa, Sarr.
Coach : W. Still.
Nice : Bulka – Ndayishimiye (cap.), Bombito, Abdelmonem (Dante, 46′) – A. Mendy (Clauss, 46′), Rosario, Boudaoui (Louchet, 93′), Abdi – Bouanani (Diop, 89′), Boga ( Moukoko, 77′) – Guessand.
Substitutes: Dupé (l.), Louchet, Camara, Ilie, Orakpo.
Coach : F. Haise.
Buts : -.
Warnings: Frankowski (53′), Zaroury (69′), Still (85′) in Lens; Abdelmonem (29′) in Nice.
Expulsions : Zaroury (86′) in Lens.
The match:
For his return to Bollaert, Franck Haise was able to see that without him, RC Lens has lost none of its habits in terms of taking initiatives. Led by an unprecedented attacking trio at the start of a match with Nzola starting for the first time alongside Saïd as well as Fulgini at the helm, the Sang et Or largely dominated the first period. Without taking advantage of it, despite some good situations. One of them obtained by a very present Nzola, saw Bulka divert his attempt onto the post after a good sequence (10′). The Polish goalkeeper worked again a few moments later on a recovery from Saïd well found by Fulgini on a free kick (12′). The good movements and attempts piled up for the Lensois. Without the finish. Samba even saved them from paying a high price by in turn diverting a sudden shot from Bouanani onto his post (28′).
A nice reminder to remember that when you don’t take advantage of a strong moment, the sanction can fall at any moment. Even when the opponent seems in great difficulty and asphyxiated. Failing to put the Niçois in front, this action seemed to mark a break in the nature of the meeting, Lens having sometimes tended to fall back too much as the break approached. Without consequence and after 45 minutes, we preferred to remember that Racing had stepped up in offensive animation, while waiting to finally see it incisive at the finish.
A different dynamic in the second half
As soon as they return from the locker room, Haise makes initial adjustments by taking out Abdelmonem and Mendy for the entries of Dante and Clauss. Two elements usually starting but spared after playing in the Europa League on Wednesday against Real Sociedad (1-1). Off-center to the right of the area, Thomasson attempts a shot. Bulka seems masked but catches the ball for the first real Lensoise banderilla of the second half (52′). The intentions are still there, but there is waste, particularly in the quality of the centers. This second half is much more balanced even if Samba remains little used. His goal is well protected by Gradit who counters a dangerous strike from Bouanani (58′). Will Still then decides to bring in new blood to give a boost to the attack by bringing in Zaroury and Labeau Lascary in place of Fulgini and Saïd. A big scare, however, struck Bollaert a few minutes later. In the area, Boudaoui turns and falls as Diouf tries to take the ball from him. The game continues but the referee is eventually called to review the video. To finally stick to his first decision by not granting a penalty.
A sign all the same that the match is becoming difficult for Lens, Samba must work for the second time of the evening in stride by magnificently capturing a header from Rosario (67′). Racing then wakes up. On a cross from Nzola, the Nice defense awkwardly deflects towards Bulka’s goal. Labeau Lascary throws himself but is blocked by the Côte d’Azur goalkeeper (70′). We feel that the match could swing on both sides in the last 10 minutes, like this shot from Boudaoui captured by Samba after a dangerous movement from Nice. The end of the game is tense. Nerves heat up when Aguilar, launched against by Samba, collapses in the fight with a defender. No foul, but the tone rises and a few moments later, Zaroury is sent off for a second yellow after a foul in the midfield (86′). For Lens, in the last minutes it was a question of preserving above all the draw point, at 10 against 11 for the 2nd time in a row (In Rennes, Ojediran came off injured while the 5 changes had already been made). The Lensois stand up to the image of Samba who diverts a tense shot from Clauss into a tight angle (89′). Lens still continued to try and even finished the match rather well. A header from Khusanov is pushed back onto the line after a corner (91′). In the end, RC Lens, unable to materialize its highlights, must be content with a 0-0 draw which underlines its great solidity against an opponent who had spent 8 at Saint-Etienne last weekend . With 4 points in 4 matches against worthy opponents (in Monaco and Rennes, at home against Lyon and Nice), Lens is not progressing in terms of accounting but continues to rely on a good defensive base while waiting to be able to do better offensively. The first period mainly gave some hope in this direction with better animation. We will now have to make it happen to move forward.
Facts to remember:
5′: Diouf strike from 20m, it is a little crushed and misses.
9′: Guessand is found full axis in the Lens area but his recovery is blocked by Khusanov.
10′: Found in the area by Fulgini, Nzola resists his defender to turn around and strike. His shot, deflected by Bulka, ends up on the upright.
12′: On a free kick sent in front of the goal by Fulgini, Saïd emerges to take it behind the defense, but Bulka manages to turn it away for a corner.
22′: Machado enters the axis and delivers a good right shot from 20 meters which goes wide.
23′: Fulgini crosses into the area for Nzola who bites his recovery. The ball goes over.
26′: Served with his back to goal at the entrance to the area, Nzola delivers for Fulgini whose shot is caught by Bulka.
26′: After a collective movement, Nzola is found in the heart of the area. It’s blocked so he puts it back on Frankowski to his right. The Pole’s deflected shot ends up wide of Bulka’s goal.
28′: With his back to goal in the area, Bouanani turns around and hits low to the ground, Samba quickly lies down to deflect onto his post.
45′: A corner from Thomasson finds Gradit’s head but it’s off target.
52′: After a corner played in two stages, Thomasson inherits the ball in the area, off-center on the right side. Facing a defender, he attempts the shot, but Bulka, although potentially masked, catches it cleanly.
58′: Gradit protects Samba’s goal well by countering a shot from Bouanani which started well.
63′: Contentious action in the Lens area, Boudaoui turns around and falls as Diouf tries to take the ball from him. The game continues but the referee is eventually called to review the video. François Letexier decides not to award a penalty after reviewing the images.
67′: Huge release from Samba to catch a header from Rosario which was heading towards the top corner.
70′: A cross from Nzola is awkwardly deflected towards his goal by a Nice defender, Labeau Lascary throws himself but it is blocked by Bulka who deflects for a corner.
82′: Nice action from Nice. The defense struggles to free itself and it ends with a shot from Boudaoui captured by Samba.
85′: Aguilar is launched against by Samba. Caught by his defender, he collapses. No fault reported, while tempers are heating up.
86′: RED CARD AGAINST LENS: Zaroury is sent off after a 2nd yellow following a foul in the midfield.
89′: Samba intervenes on a tense shot from Clauss from a tight angle.
91′: From a corner from Thomasson, a powerful header from Khusanov is pushed back onto the line.
The program for the 6th day of Ligue 1:
Already played:
Auxerre – Brest: 3-0
PSG – Rennes: 3-1
RC Lens-Nice : 0-0
Saturday September 28, 2024 at 7 p.m. on DAZN:
Le Havre-Lille
Saturday September 28, 2024 at 9 p.m. on DAZN:
Monaco-Montpellier
Sunday September 29, 2024 at 3 p.m. on DAZN:
Toulouse-Lyon
Sunday September 29, 2024 at 5 p.m. on DAZN:
Nantes-Saint-Etienne
Angers-Reims
Sunday September 29, 2024 at 8:45 p.m. on DAZN:
Strasbourg-Marseille
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