RC Lens traveled to Le Havre this Sunday as part of the 17th day of Ligue 1. The Sang et Or won a logical 2-1 victory even if everything was not easy. A goal from his rookie Koyalipou and a Nice tactical move from Will Still which saw Machado score on a pass from Frankowski just after going back to 3 behind allowed Racing to win after a bad start. A success which above all allows Lens to remain in the race for Europe. Hot throwback to this meeting.
Le Havre-RC Lens : 1-2 (1-1)
Sunday January 12, 2025 – 3 p.m. – 17th day of Ligue 1
Océane Stadium
Referee: Clement Turpin
The match sheet:
Le Havre: Desmas – Négo (Casimir, 83′), Salmier, Youté, Lloris, Zouaoui – Ndiaye, Touré (cap.) (Soumaré, 83′) – Joujou, Ayew (Targhalline, 71′), Sabbi.
Substitutes: Gorgelin (l.), Confais, Casimir, Soumaré, Grandsir, Pembélé, Sangante, Kechta.
Coach : D. Digard.
RC Lens : Koffi – Frankowski, Danso, Medina, Machado – Thomasson (Gradit, 76′), Diouf – Sotoca (cap.), Fulgini, Zaroury (Ojediran, 57′) – Koyalipou (Nzola, 68′).
Substitutes: Petric (g.), Sarr, Pouilly, Lenne, Mendy, Boua Dié.
Coach : W. Still.
Buts : Ayew (8′) for Le Havre ; Koyalipou (28′), Machado (77′) for Lens.
Warnings: Ayew (34′) in Le Havre.
Expulsions : -.
Referee: Clement Turpin.
The match:
Beaten 1-0 last weekend at home against Toulouse, shaken up by a hectic winter transfer window, RC Lens was expected to turn the corner this Sunday against a sick Le Havre team, 17th and which remained on 5 defeats in all competitions. But before managing to achieve this long-awaited victory, the Sang et Or first fell against the more aggressive Le Havre side at kick-off. After a first alert on an overflow from Joujou (7′), the HAC took advantage of the generosity of the Lens defense to open the scoring. After a bad back pass from Thomasson, Le Havre brings danger to the 16m50 mark. It ends with a strike from Sabbi that Koffi can only slow down. On the goal line, Ayew is quicker than Frankowski to score (8′, 0-1). Symbolic of the feeling left by this start on which the Le Havre people seem to have entered the meeting better.
The rest of the first period will fortunately remind Lensois that this winter transfer window also has good things. For his first in Sang et Or, Goduine Koyalipou confirms the good momentum maintained at CSKA Sofia (14 goals in 16 matches by scoring with a header on a perfect cross from Florian Sotoca (28′). A few minutes earlier, Racing had come close to the correctional but Salmier had not been able to frame against Koffi, hampered by the disaster return of Danso after having been forgotten by the defense (23 ‘Lens will then maintain the pressure). while remaining at the mercy of Le Havre’s transitions, including a Joujou who was difficult to control for more than half an hour for the Artesian defense. If RC Lens was able to come back and quite clearly dominate the debates, at least territorially and in terms of performance. number of shots (14 for 3 on target versus 6 for 2 on target, 73% possession), at the break, everything remains to be done and above all, everything seems possible for both teams.
Coaching gagnant de Will Still
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Lens resumed its domination after returning from the locker room and this materialized with a huge opportunity from the 47th minute on which Desmas pushed back a shot from Zaroury towards Thomasson. But the Lens midfielder is blocked on the line by Lloris. The Blood and Gold stifle the Normans and quickly prevent them from moving forward after losing the ball. Racing still had some scares like this cross released by Frankowski on Nego. Koffi is responsive enough to lie down and block (67′).
Lens responds with a cross shot from Fulgini well launched on the right by Diouf, but into the small outside net of Desmas (69′), then a victorious header from Nzola but logically refused for an offside position from the Angolan. For the last quarter of an hour, Will Still then decides to take Thomasson out for Gradit’s entry, thus switching back to a pattern with 3 defenders. Barely turned into pistons, Frankowski in the center and Machado at the end of the head offer the 2-1 goal to RC Lens! (77′). Le Havre responds with a cross from Joujou which finds Salmier’s head, but Koffi intervenes (78′). The Sang et Or still displayed good control even if it took Gradit’s vigilance to clear with great skill a very dangerous cross in front of Koffi’s goal (85′). Enough to lead RC Lens to a very valuable victory which allows it to remain 7th, coming back to one point behind Lyon, 6th and 2 lengths behind Losc, 5th. Other notable lessons, Koyalipou’s first goal in his new colors and this winning goal which came thanks to the pistons just after the passage to 3 defenders, a sign that Will Still and his men are capable of drawing on a tactical palette which has gained width in recent weeks. And that doesn’t spoil anything, Racing wins for the first time at the Océane stadium. The Indian sign is defeated. Positive data to be confirmed next week against the Parisian ogre.
Facts to remember:
3′: Lensoise’s first opportunity with a succession of attempted strikes and clearances laboriously countered by the Le Havre defense in the open area.
7′: Joujou overflows on his left side, he straightens the ball which seemed to go out of bounds, Koffi goes at him but it passes through the center. In the end, no one is there to take over.
8′: GOAL FOR LE HAVRE: Bad back pass from Thomasson, It benefits Joujou who is first blocked by Frankowski but the ball remains in the area and ends up arriving at Sabbi who strikes. Koffi is on the parade but only slows the ball and Ayew is on the lookout on the line to score with a header while being more aggressive than Frankowski.
12′: Right side Frankowski finds Thomasson in the area who seems to open the path to goal but his shot is blocked by Lloris.
Machado cross for Sotoca at the edge of the area. The attacker controls, turns and strikes but it is too soft to worry Desmas.
23′: Salmier finds himself alone in a position to strike in the middle of the Lens area. Embarrassed by Danso’s disastrous return, he shoots clearly above.
28′: GOAL FOR LENS: Perfect cross from the right signed Sotoca for the header of Koyalipou who heads Desmas for his first goal in Ligue 1.
47′: Big opportunity for the Lensois. Zaroury served on the left at the far post hits, Desmas pushes back, it comes back to Thomasson in front of the goal but countered on the line by Lloris.
54′: Koyalipou overflows to the right and finds Sotoca behind, but the number 7 cannot give enough power to his recovery. Desmas quickly lies down at his first post to capture.
62′: Header from Salmier from an eccentric free kick from Le Havre. Koffi captures it cleanly.
63′: Cross from Machado, it arrives in the area on Sotoca who hits but it is blocked.
67′: Dangerous cross from Sabbi, Medina only extends to Frankowski who clears straight at Le Havre, Koffi is fortunately vigilant and very reactive to seize the ball on the ground.
69′: Diouf finds Fulgini. In an off-center position, the midfielder does not fit, hitting Desmas’ small net.
71′: Goal denied to Nzola, offside before finishing with a header.
77′: A few seconds after their passage into pistons, Frankowski crosses for Machado who rushes down the left and beats Desmas with a header.
78′: Joujou overtakes Frankowski and crosses for Salmier’s header at the far post. Koffi intervenes and captures it.
The program for the 17th day of Ligue 1:
Already played:
Nantes – Monaco: 2-2
Auxerre – Lille: 0-0
Brest – Lyon: 2-1
Reims – Nice : 2-4
Rennes – Marseille: 1-2
Le Havre – RC Lens : 1-2
Sunday January 11 at 5:15 p.m. on DAZN:
Montpellier – Angers
Toulouse – Strasbourg
Sunday January 11 at 8:45 p.m. on DAZN:
Paris SG – Saint-Etienne
