Lyon missed the opportunity to move to the top of Ligue 1 after suffering their first defeat of the season, losing 2-1 to Lens at the rain-soaked Stade Bollaert on Friday.
Lens secure victory with late goals and tactical edge
Florian Sotoca opened the scoring for Lens late in the first half, followed by Matthieu Udol’s header in the 76th minute. Despite Udol being sent off for a tackle on Lyon’s Khalis Merah, the teenager managed to score a consolation goal for Lyon.
Yannick Cahuzac celebrated his first win as Lens coach since taking over from Dino Toppmoeller, who was dismissed last month after six games. The victory ended Lens’ four-match winless streak in the league and lifted them to seventh place, providing momentum ahead of their Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon.
Lyon coach Paulo Fonseca reflects on challenges and performance
Lyon remain two points behind league leaders Monaco. Ahead of their Europa League game against Crystal Palace, coach Paulo Fonseca acknowledged defensive issues and limited preparation time following the international break.
“Defensively we had problems because the team was too stretched and did not press the way we wanted. And when we had the ball, we lost it too quickly. We gave the first 45 minutes to Lens,” Fonseca said.
He added, “I don’t want to make excuses, but that’s the reality. We had one day to prepare for the match. It’s difficult to prepare a game like that. But I don’t think it’s an excuse.”
