Lens Beats Lyon In French League After Arsenal Nightmare – News18

PARIS: Just days after getting hammered by Arsenal in the Champions League, Lens inflicted more misery on last-placed Lyon in a 3-2 French league victory on Saturday.

Under the helm of interim coach Pierre Sage — who replaced Fabio Grosso this week — Lyon delivered a gritty display that will give the struggling seven-time champions some comfort in their fight against relegation despite yet another disappointing result.

Lyon made a strong start and led in the 14th minute from a goal by Jake O’Brien, who later completed a brace.

Wesley Saïd brought Lens level then Przemyslaw Frankowski gave the “Sang et Or” the lead from the penalty spot.

After O’Brien gave the visitors a glimmer of hope they could bring back a point from their trip to northern France, Frankowski connected with a cross from Ruben Aguilar and scored again with a left-footed shot to lift Lens within one point of fifth-placed Reims.

Unbeaten in its past nine league matches, Lens was thrashed at Arsenal 6-0 midweek for the biggest ever Champions League defeat by a French club.

Nice could move to the top of league late with a win at Nantes, which was playing its first game under new coach Jocelyn Gourvennec.

Grosso was fired on Thursday after less than three months in charge at Lyon, a storied club known for its record run of seven straight league titles from 2002-08. The last time Lyon played in the second division was in 1989.

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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – Associated Press)