A trompe-l'oeil. This narrow 1-0 defeat could suggest that RC Lens competed with PSG. At the Parc des Princes, which has never been their garden since their return to Ligue 1 (4 defeats, 1 draw, 3 red cards), the Lensois were indeed courageous, and united too.
They stayed together when they were led very quickly (4e), after an error by Jonathan Gradit. The defender found himself one on one with the lively Bradley Barcola who notified Ousmane Dembélé at the far post. Elbows were tight too when Abdukodir Khusanov was, in fact, sent off for having taken Achraf Hakimi's ankle rather than the ball while tackling (59e). They were even better in the second half where they pushed PSG more and paradoxically ten against eleven for half an hour, with Hamzat Ojediran to rebalance the block
Sotoca injured in turn
But the Lensois were overwhelmed by the pressure and the Parisian waves at the start of the match and throughout the first period, disorganized, with Jhoanner Chavez, usual left piston, positioned for the very first time in his career on the right, in a position where Przemyslaw Frankowski was not recovered enough to be fielded. Bradley Barcola's speed panicked them, their midfield was overwhelmed, their solid defense usually found wanting.
But Brice Samba was watching, fortunately, the bill would have been much heavier otherwise. Paris lacked efficiency, but the goalkeeper made multiple saves, 7 in total, at international level, like the superb one on a strike from Barcola which went into the top corner (72e). We will also remember a foot parade in front of Fabian Ruiz (15e), saves against Marco Asensio (35e43e) and yet another against Warren Zaire-Emery (76th).
We can credit RC Lens with its ambition – too much, against an opponent of this caliber? – his desire to constantly project himself in the image of the differences made by Andy Diouf, particularly in the second half. Racing had situations, the best being undoubtedly the header on target by Deiver Machado at the half-hour mark, from a cross from Chavez; he even shot thirteen times on goal. But he still only had two of his shots on target, and Matvey Safonov, PSG's Russian goalkeeper, spent a quiet evening, never really in danger.
After ten days, plus two European matches, this lack of efficiency and technical accuracy in the last thirty meters is striking. That's a lot of points lost, or not taken at least. If Paris was obviously not the best team to recover after the disillusionment of the derby (2-0), RC Lens will have to find solutions, exceed its limits, to have the means of its intentions, to score or risk starting to put pressure on yourself. This will already be the case on Saturday, against Nantes where there will be almost no attackers available. In addition to Martin Satriano and Wesley Saïd, injured, M'bala Nzola will be suspended and Florian Sotoca was added to the list, injured in the adductors from the 18e minute, and unable to continue. Fair, too fair.
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