The Japan Times - Lens hold off Auxerre to retake top spot from PSG, Marseille win

Reigning French and European champions Paris Saint-Germain had taken over at the summit on Friday following their Ousmane Dembele-inspired 3-0 home victory over Lille.

But Lens riposted less than 24 hours later as they brought their winning streak to 10 matches across all competitions courtesy of a second-half strike by Wesley Said at their Stade Bollaert-Delelis home.

The French youth international's eighth league goal of the season was enough to earn Pierre Sage's team three points and restore their one-point buffer at the top of the table.

Entering a match not at the summit of the standings for the first time since the beginning of December, Lens started in cagey fashion.

Saud Abdulhamid worked visiting goalkeeper Donovan Leon inside 10 minutes, before the vociferous home fans appealed desperately for a penalty after captain Adrien Thomasson went down in the box when trying to get a shot off.

It was Auxerre who came closest to nicking a first-half lead when Naouirou Ahamada's strike rolled just the wrong side of the post for Christophe Pelissier's side on the stroke of half-time.

Lens coach Sage later regretted his surprise league leaders' recent tendency to start matches in a sluggish manner.

"I don't think we're running out of steam because (if we were) we wouldn't be able to turn things around as we did in the second half," Sage said.

"In any case, I think these are signs to be taken seriously."

- Sage advice -

Whatever Sage said to his charges at half-time worked as Lens came out more forceful in the second period and only heroic last-ditch defending kept Said and Matthieu Udol at bay.

Blood and Gold pressure then finally paid as Said displayed remarkable poise and technique to kill Malang Sarr's cross on his chest inside the box before rifling a left-footed strike past Leon on 65 minutes.

In the immediate aftermath to the goal, Lamine Sy fizzed a sharp effort over Risser's crossbar as Auxerre showed that they would not lie down.

Lens' 2018 World Cup winner Florian Thauvin came close to doubling the lead inside the final 20 minutes as Sage's men looked desperately for a cushion.

Leon pulled off a superb finger-tip save before the hosts passed up two further opportunities in the final moments, with Mamadou Sangare notably guilty of blazing over when well-placed with one minute on the clock.

But ultimately Lens were not made to pay for their wastefulness as they kept Auxerre at arm's length to ensure a 14th victory of the campaign.

Defeat leaves Auxerre 17th, four points from safety.

In Sunday's late match, Marseille stayed within eight points of Lens with a comfortable 5-2 win at mid-table Angers.

Roberto De Zerbi's third-placed side kept their hopes of mounting a title challenge intact thanks to a barnstorming first half in which Amine Gouiri, Mason Greenwood, Hamed Traore and Timothy Weah all found the back of the net.

Amine Sbai scored for the hosts in first-half stoppage time but following a thrilling opening salvo, the second period produced just two late goals after the match was already effectively over as Marseille coasted to their first league win of 2026.

Toulouse put free-falling Nice through the wringer in a dominant 5-1 win as the south coast side remain just four points above the relegation play-off zone.

H.Takahashi--JT