Florian Sotoca played a central role as Lens defeated struggling Angers 2-1 on Saturday to claim a fourth successive top-flight victory and move back to within two points of Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the Ligue 1 Uber Eats table.
THE MATCH
With PSG only in action on Sunday lunchtime when the reigning champions go to Lorient, Lens not only had the opportunity to win a fourth straight league fixture for the first time since 2001, but also cement second place and close on the league leaders with victory at the Stade Raymond Kopa.
Bottom of the table Angers — with just eight points, their lowest tally at this stage of a top-flight season — seemed ripe for the picking, and it did not take long for Franck Haise's team to hit their straps: Sotoca has been a central figure in their strong start, and he provided the volleyed pass for Wesley Saïd to fire in the opening goal (21').
Sotoca's fifth assist of the season may have been joined by a seventh league goal had Yahia Fofana not been alert to the Lens forward's long-range shot (31'), and David Pereira da Costa (39') and Saïd (39') both might have added to the lead with Angers struggling to conjure any attacking threat.
Lens did not take long to move further ahead after the break, however. Przemyslaw Frankowski's free-kick picked out Kevin Danso in the penalty area, and the Austria international's header found his centre-back partner Facundo Medina, who finished smartly (51').
Seko Fofana (61'), Sotoca (70', 79') and Pereira da Costa (81') all had chances to find the net, but it was Angers, who only had seven touches in their opponent's box all night, who surprisingly got the next goal: Miha Blazic netting the consolation strike (87') though how much comfort it gives coach Gérald Baticle and his side after a sixth consecutive league loss is questionable.
THE PLAYER: Florian Sotoca
The 32-year-old Lens forward had played just one minute of Ligue 1 Uber Eats football before the 2020/21 season, but is now making up for lost time. With six goals and five assists this season he is already approaching career-best figures for a single top-flight campaign with well over half the season remaining. Since his club's return to L1 in 2020/21, he is the only Lens player in double figures for both goals and assists.
THE STAT: 11
Lens have lost just one away match in their last 11 in Ligue 1 Uber Eats, winning six of them.
