LENS NEWS

PSG moves 6 points clear at the top of French league after beating Lens 1-0

Ousmane Dembélé’s early goal was enough as defending champion Paris Saint-Germain beat Lens 1-0 to move six points clear at the top of the French league

NOVEMBER 2 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Lille beats northern rival Lens 2-0 with stoppage time goals in French league

In-form Canada striker Jonathan David broke the deadlock with a penalty deep in stoppage time as Lille won 2-0 at bitter French league rival Lens in the Derby of the North

OCTOBER 26 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Lens and Rennes win to stay on track for a European place in French league

Lens has scraped a 1-0 win against rock-bottom Clermont after Rennes coasted past Nantes 3-0 in the French league

APRIL 20 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Lille goes to third in Ligue 1 after derby win over Lens

Kosovan winger Edon Zhegrova has scored in each half for Lille to beat Lens 2-1 in the Derby du Nord in the French league

MARCH 29 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nice leapfrogs Lens in French league. Strasbourg wins for first time in 2024

Nice has ended a six-match winless streak in style with a 3-1 victory at last season’s runner-up Lens in the French league

MARCH 16 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Lens ends Brest's unbeaten run with 1-0 win and moves up to fourth. Lyon wins 2-0 at Lorient

Lens has continued its push for a Champions League spot next season by ending second-place Brest’s unbeaten run with a 1-0 home win in the French league

MARCH 9 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Lens wins 1-0 at Nantes to move up to 6th in French league. Rennes beats Montpellier 2-1

David Pereira da Costa scores early in the second half as Lens wins 1-0 at lowly Nantes to move up to sixth place in the French league

FEBRUARY 3 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Facundo Medina - Wins penalty and concedes penalty Medina registered two tackles (one won) and one clearance in Tuesday's 2-1 victory against Sevilla. In addition, he was given a yellow card in the 75th minute.

Impact Medina played a crucial part in Tuesday's first two goals as he won a penalty for his side in the 60th minute (converted by Przemyslaw Frankowski in the 63rd) and then conceded a penalty (and received a yellow card) in the 75th minute that was converted by Sergio Ramos in the 79th minute. It was quite a busy day for Medina as he also won one tackle and made one clearance as his side clinched a spot in the Europa League Knockouts. Medina will miss Lens' next match Saturday versus Reims due to yellow card accumulaton in Ligue 1 and will be eligible to return Dec. 20 at OGC Nice.

DECEMBER 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Florian Sotoca - Assists winner Tuesday Sotoca assisted once to go with one cross (zero accurate) and one chance created in Tuesday's 2-1 win over Sevilla.

Impact Sotoca assisted the match-winning goal in the 96th minute of Tuesday's UCL match, as his through ball set up Angelo Fulgini's strike to send Lens to the Europa League Knockouts. It marked Sotoca's first goal contribution in the Champions League this season. Sotoca will have to wait a bit longer to get back on the pitch however, as he will serve the second game of his Ligue 1 red card suspension Saturday versus Reims.

DECEMBER 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Przemyslaw Frankowski - Scores in Tuesday's UCL win Frankowski scored one goal to go with one shot (one on goal) in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Sevilla.

Impact Frankowski scored his first UCL goal of the season Tuesday, a strike from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute to take the 1-0 lead. The goal was a crucial one, as it ultimately helped Lens clinch a spot in the Europa League Knockouts. Frankowski's next match is back in Ligue 1 Saturday versus Reims.

DECEMBER 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Angelo Fulgini - Scores late winner for UEL spot Fulgini scored one goal to go with one shot (one on goal) in Tuesday's 2-1 win versus Sevilla. In addition, he was given a yellow card in the 85th minute.

Impact Fulgini scored the match-winning goal in the 96th minute Tuesday, a strike assisted by Florian Sotoca that sends Lens to the Europa League Knockouts. It marked Fulgini's second UCL goal of the season and his fourth goal contribution in 20 matches (12 starts) in all competitions this season.

DECEMBER 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Brice Samba - Concedes once in UCL win Samba made three saves and allowed one goal in Tuesday's 2-1 win over Sevilla.

Impact Samba and Lens finished off the Champions League campaign on a high note, defeating Sevilla in the final minutes of the match to book a place in the first knockout round of the Europa League. Samba conceded one goal in the match, a panenka penalty scored by Sergio Ramos in the 79th minute. Samba finishes his first UCL campaign with 11 goals conceded, 23 saves and zero clean sheets in six matches.

DECEMBER 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Lens beats Sevilla 2-1 in last Champions League group game. French club earns Europa League spot

Defending Europa League champion Sevilla was knocked out of European competition in a 2-1 loss to Lens in their final Champions League group game

DECEMBER 12, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nampalys Mendy - Limps off Tuesday Mendy was forced off with an apparent hamstring injury during the first half of Tuesday's clash with Sevilla.

Impact Mendy came off after just 23 minutes with the hamstring issue. It's possible it's just cramps though it certainly appeared to be far more serious than that. The midfielder will be an extreme doubt to play again before the winter break with Neil El Ayanaoui coming on to replace him.

DECEMBER 12, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Jimmy Cabot - Out for UCL contest Cabot (knee) is out for Tuesday's contest against Sevilla.

Impact Cabot will not be an option for the club's final UCL group stage match against Sevilla, having still not recovered from a torn ACL that has left him out since October of 2022. The midfielder will hopefully return before the winter break, where he will most likely be on the bench as they will not want to rush him back into play after a serious injury.

DECEMBER 12, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Sepe Elye Wahi - Three shots in 0-0 stalemate Elye Wahi registered three shots (two on goal) and one cross (zero accurate) in Friday's 0-0 draw against Montpellier.

Impact Wahi registered three shots which took his league shots tally to 20, fourth-highest in the Lens squad. After missing a game last week, Wahi once again failed to play full 90 minutes which was the 13th consecutive occasion this season.

DECEMBER 12, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Adrien Thomasson - Three crosses on Friday Thomasson recorded one shot (zero on goal), three crosses (zero accurate) and one chance created in Friday's 0-0 draw against Montpellier.

Impact Thomasson provided three or more crosses for the first time since November 12. However, none of them were accurate. For the 14th time this season, Thomasson failed to play the full 90 minutes.

DECEMBER 12, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Angelo Fulgini - One shot off bench Fulgini registered one shot (zero on goal), three crosses (one accurate) and one corner in Friday's 0-0 draw versus Montpellier.

Impact For the 15th time this season, Fulgini failed to play the full 90 minutes for Lens. He has only played 731 minutes this season. Fulgini also provided three crosses which was the most he did since October 8 against Lille.

DECEMBER 11, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Brice Samba - Four saves in 0-0 stalemate Samba recorded four saves and secured a clean sheet in Friday's 0-0 draw against Montpellier.

Impact Samba registered his seventh clean sheet this season which is the joint third-most in the league campaign. It was his sixth clean sheet in the last seven league matches. He is now eight behind matching his clean sheet tally of the last season.

DECEMBER 11, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Jimmy Cabot - Not included in injury report Cabot (knee) was not named to the injury list ahead of Tuesday's clash with Sevilla. Manager Franck Haise told reporters, "Apart from Deiver Machado, the entire group is available...

Impact Cabot's return is far from guaranteed but this is certainly a step in the right direction. Considering the midfielder is yet to play this season, he shouldn't be expected to break into the starting XI even if given the all-clear.

DECEMBER 11, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Deiver Machado - Facing extended absence Machado will have surgery to repair an adductor injury that will keep him out long-term. Manager Franck Haise told reporters Monday, "He will have surgery in the next few days. We...

Impact Machado figures to miss between 6-8 weeks after undergoing surgery, which would see him returning in late January or early February. Prior to getting hurt, the midfielder started just two of his last five outings, registering three shots (one on target), three crosses (zero accurate) and two tackles (zero won). Without Machado in the squad, Przemyslaw Frankowski figures to feature prominently in the starting XI moving forward.

DECEMBER 11, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Lens' unbeaten run extends to 10 matches after draw with Montpellier

Lens and Montpellier have struggled in front of goal in a 0-0 draw in the French league

DECEMBER 8, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Facundo Medina - Suspended against Reims Medina was given three yellows over a 10-match span and will be suspended versus Reims on Dec. 16.

Impact Medina will be available to face Montpellier on Friday and should be in contention for the UCL match with Sevilla on Tuesday but will eventually have to serve this one-match ban. In his last six appearances, the central defender has recorded six shots (five on target) and should continue to be a target in the box moving forward.

DECEMBER 7, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Deiver Machado - Unavailable against Monpellier Machado was left out of the squad to face Montpellier on Friday.

Impact Machado was subbed off in the 45th minute versus Lyon on Saturday and will now have to sit out due to his undisclosed knock. Przemyslaw Frankowski subbed on for Machado in that contest and could be in the mix for a spot in the starting XI with Machado on the shelf.

DECEMBER 7, 2023 • ROTOWIRE