Seko Fofana and Lens made it seven home wins from seven in Ligue 1 Uber Eats this season as Loïs Openda's second-half hat-trick gave them a 3-0 win over Toulouse on Saturday to cement second place in the table.
THE MATCH
The Stade Felix Bollaert is not the easiest place to go at the best of times, and with the hosts flying after just one defeat in their opening 12 games of the season, this is far from the best of times for opponents to travel north.
Toulouse's return to the top flight has been mixed with four wins and as many defeats prior to kick-off, but against his former club, visiting coach Philippe Montanier saw his team make a confident start after heading north unbeaten in four matches.
Fofana though had the game's first chance, firing wide after linking up with Przemyslaw Frankowski (12'), but it took a fine saving tackle from Jonathan Gradit to deny Zakaria Aboukhlal a clear sight of goal (33').
Neither side was able to muster a solid chance before the break, though. That changed after it as Fofana put a good chance over the bar (47') and then — after David Pereira da Costa had been fouled in the penalty area by Stijn Spierings — the home captain missed from the spot as Maxime Dupé pushed out his effort (48').
With his side struggling to make the breakthrough, Lens coach Franck Haise made changes up front, introducing Florian Sotoca and Openda on 56 minutes, and just four minutes later, the pair bolstered their up-and-coming coach's already burgeoning reputation.
Sotoca was the provider, sending a cross to the back post where Openda had enough space to squeeze in and head his fifth goal of the campaign (60'). Alexis Claude-Maurice forced a good save from Dupé in the closing stages (82') before serving Openda to make the points safe (86').
The Belgium international forward then completed his hat-trick — ending a six-game drought in spectacular style — in added time (90+1') to leave Lens two points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
THE PLAYER: Loïs Openda
The summer signing from Club Brugge had already looked impressive, but by nearly doubling his season's league goal tally in just 90 minutes — taking himself to seven already — the 22-year-old confirmed his arrival in France, and no doubt helped press his claims for a FIFA World Cup squad place.
THE STAT: 3
Dupé has now saved three of the four penalties Toulouse have conceded this season.
