A fiery atmosphere and a major feat: against all expectations, Lens defeated Arsenal (2-1) on Tuesday, celebrating its first Champions League match at the Stade Bollaert in 21 years with a success. This victory against the favorite of Pool B places the Sang et Or alone in the lead ahead of the Londoners and Sevilla FC joined on the wire by PSV Eindhoven (2-2).
Lens creates the feat
It has been 21 years since the den of the Artesian club last vibrated for its team in C1. The wait ended in a majestic burst of brilliance, at the end of a match where the Lensois never decreased in intensity, taking up the challenge admirably despite the enormous difference in budget and quality of squad. and prestige of the two formations. “You would have told me that four years ago, when we were facing Ligue 2 teams, without disrespecting them, I would have said to you: ‘It’s not possible.’ It’s a waking dream,” breathed Jonathan Gradit in the wake of the match, aware of the tremendous rise of his club.
From the start of the match, after the thrills born from the characteristic anthem of the Champions League, Franck Haise’s players went on the attack, coming very close to opening the score by Kevin Danso, author of a control-strike sequence near the goal worthy of an attacker (5th).
One mistake, one goal
But as in Seville, Lens conceded the first goal coming from nothing, or almost nothing, this type of error to absolutely avoid at the highest level. A too soft pass from Adrien Thomasson allowed Bukayo Saka to throw Gabriel Jesus first, much faster than Kevin Danso and precise enough to deceive Brice Samba during Arsenal’s first opportunity (14th).
Until then, the Gunners had only had a real period of possession of the ball and were suffering in terms of game intentions. It was therefore by practicing an unnatural game of dispossession that the Gunners struck first, taking short of Franck Haise’s players. Before the meeting, the Artesian coach anticipated: “I hope that we will have times of mastery because that is part of our principles, but in any case, the fight is not to gain from possession.” But it was in terms of intensity, mental resources and self-sacrifice. It was by using these three qualities that the Artois players managed to equalize, through the faulty Thomasson (25th), with a beautiful curling shot.
At the origin of the action, a daring attempt at recovery from Gunners goalkeeper David Raya, which Deiver Machado intercepted before quickly finding Elye Wahi. His tightrope performance for Thomasson was absolutely beautiful, the finish of the former Strasbourger no less.
Suffocating pressing
Resuming the flow of the match, the Lensois did not leave many opportunities to Mikel Arteta’s players and continued to press intensely. In the second half, they dealt the final blow with the inevitable Wahi, in great shape after a timid start. Recruited 35 million euros in total for this type of evening, the former Montpellier player took an ideal cross from Frankowski with a clear cross (69th).
Franck Haise clenched his fist, and Bollaert melted. “This will be one of the highlights of the period that I am experiencing, and that I will continue to experience with RC Lens,” admitted after the meeting the man who was voted best coach in Ligue 1 last season.
The Lensois then resisted multiple attacks from Arsenal in the line of Kevin Danso, imperial, and Brice Samba, with a great performance punctuated in particular by this foot stop to counter a recovery from Tomiyasu after a corner (67th) , and allow Lens to start dreaming of the round of 16. “We are still Little Thumb, leave us where we are,” said the Lensois captain after the match. “It’s only been two matches, there are still four matches left, the road is so long.” The Racing club of Lens once again brings down Arsenal, 25 years after the memorable feat they accomplished at Wembley (1-0), already in the Champions League.