Lens 3-1 Psg. Donnarumma loses, Ligue1 is reopened

No goals and no party for PSG. This time Mbappé stays dry and uncorking the champagne on the first day of the year is Franck Haise’s Lens, who confirms that it’s not a surprise, consolidating a well-deserved second place, now -4 from the top. The 3-1 signed by Frankowski, Openda and Claude-Maurice is a warning for Christophe Galtier’s PSG, who scored with Ekitike, but who still lose for the first time this season. And it’s not the absences of Messi, still on vacation after the world title, and Neymar, who is disqualified, to justify the crash.

RHYTHMS

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In any case, an immediately intense match, at a high pace and with immediate opportunities. And it was Lens, lined up with the usual 3-4-2-1 formation, that took the lead, with a choral action that started from the right with a long cross from Sotoca who caught Haidara on the other side for volleying support. In the center of the area, Marquinhos and Hakimi forget Frankowski who always puts in on the fly. PSG, with Ekitike at the fore and Mbappé starting wide on the left, found a draw with the first of the two forwards. But the invention is done by Soler who opens on the right for Mukiele who supports inside. Ekitike snatches the ball from Samba’s gloves and runs into the net. Everything is ok for the Var and in the 8th minute it is already 1-1.

BIS

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Intensity then, with Lens dictating the law and applying a precise plan, taking advantage of every ball lost by the guests, often inaccurate, to pour into the opponent’s field at maximum speed. And so comes the encore in the 28th minute, with Openda launched deep by Fofana, resisting the return of Marquinhos to put Donnarumma on. It is the deserved goal of the lead after a missed opportunity by Claude-Maurice, in front of goal (23′), and another one neutralized by Donnarumma on a jab by Openda (26′), after a relaunch error by the blue. In short, the advantage is deserved, also because Mbappé has few ideas (17′ and 42′).

ONE HUNDRED

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But another fatal mistake is made by Ruiz again, at the start of the second half. The former Neapolitan loses the ball in front of the area following pressure from Fofana, Openda manages in the area and frees Claude-Maurice with a backheel who makes no mistake this time (3′). It is the goal too many that forces PSG to react, which however comes in a messy way and without really biting. Also because Verratti, in his 400th with PSG, doesn’t have much in common with his midfield colleagues and thus tends to pour the game on the left, between Hakimi and Mbappé who gets to shoot in the 16th minute, but Samba blocks. And then the goalkeeper performs a miracle in the 30th minute by pushing Sarabia’s confident header back onto the line. It is also a sentence without appeal for PSG’s first defeat of the season. A deserved success for Haise’s Lens on the hundredth bench in blood and gold.

THE OTHERS

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A little inspired Lyon after the great success of the previous round remains dry, beaten on a penalty by Clermont, converted in the 42nd minute of the second half by Cham. A jab from Golovin allows Monaco to collect three points, resisting the onslaught of Brest in the second half. For the club from the Principality, on the field with the talented 17-year-old Ben Seghir, a victory that is worth the tie in the standings to Tudor’s Marseille, engaged tomorrow on the Montpellier field. Three points also for Toulouse with a solid 2-0 win over Ajaccio signed by Ratao and Djaegere, with reciprocal assists. Victory also for Nantes, narrowly over Auxerre (Coco). While Angers, without the Moroccan veterans from the World Cup Ounahi and Boufal, sinks in the standings, beaten at home and in a comeback by Lorient, with the final seal of Le Fée (1-2).