LENS, FRANCE — RC Lens produced a dramatic late turnaround to defeat Toulouse 3-2 in Ligue 1, strengthening their push at the top of the table and keeping pressure on league leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
The result reignites Lens’ title ambitions after a slow start left them trailing by two goals early in the match.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) reports that Lens, who last won the French league title in 1998, struggled in the opening stages at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis and found themselves two goals down within 13 minutes.
Goalkeeper Robin Risser was initially caught off guard when he failed to deal with a long-range effort from Cristian Casseres, which put Toulouse ahead in the sixth minute.
Toulouse doubled their advantage shortly after through Seny Koumbassa, putting the home side under early pressure in front of their supporters.
The match, however, shifted momentum in the 10th minute when Toulouse were reduced to 10 men following a straight red card shown to Yann Gboho for a dangerous studs-up challenge on Adrien Thomasson.
The dismissal forced Toulouse into a defensive stance, allowing Lens to take control of possession and mount sustained attacking pressure.
Despite dominating the game thereafter, Lens initially struggled to convert their chances, with Toulouse holding firm until the second half.
The breakthrough came in the 61st minute when defender Saud Abdulhamid pulled one goal back to spark a comeback.
Six minutes later, Adrien Thomasson restored parity with a crucial equaliser that shifted the momentum firmly in favour of the hosts.
Lens completed the comeback deep into stoppage time when Ismaelo Ganiou scored the decisive winner, sealing a dramatic 3-2 victory.
The result moves Lens to within one point of league leaders Paris Saint-Germain, although PSG still have two games in hand.
The win also strengthens Lens’ position in the top two, placing them nine points clear of third-placed Lille in the Ligue 1 standings.
The result sets up a tense final stretch in the title race as PSG prepare to face Lyon in their next fixture.
Lens, meanwhile, will be encouraged by their resilience and late-game intensity as they continue to challenge for domestic honours.
The comeback victory highlights their determination to remain in contention for what would be a historic league triumph if achieved.
