Ocampos vs Fulgini, Samba too irregular. AFP / CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP / CRISTINA QUICLER
TOPS/FLOPS – RC Lens left Andalusia this Wednesday evening with a draw (1-1) against Sevilla FC in the Champions League.
TOPS
Ocampos vs. Fulgini
Best player of their respective team, Lucas Ocampos and Angelo Fulgini perfectly fulfilled the role of dynamite of the offensive play of their ranks. The Argentinian delivered a complete copy by being perfectly present to cut the passing lines and being present in depth with a superb connection maintained with his teammate and compatriot Erik Lamela. A header who allowed Sevilla to open the scoring early (9th), he completed 81% of his passes and touched around sixty balls, a symbol of his significant volume of play. Same story for the Franco-Ivorian from RC Lens. Author of a superb free kick to equalize (24th), Fulgini was essential in the Lens offensive game, especially in the first period when the Sang et Or were manhandled. He is the central element with whom everything begins, especially the Lens recovery phases.
The pretty Lensois face
Author of a very worrying start to the season in Ligue 1, with four defeats in five matches and a sad 18th and last place, RC Lens presented itself in Andalusia with several ailments to cure but above all in search of elements of answers for correct the difficult situation at the start of the season. And for their return to the Champions League after 21 years of absence, the Sangs et Or produced a very good collective performance, especially in the second half where they were able to take the lead again with aggressiveness and intensity. Led by Fulgini, Lens was also able to count on an Elye Wahi who was always involved and stood out. Often launched in depth, the young international Espoir was not unworthy. The 2,000 Lensois supporters, who made the trip to Seville, were able to witness some very beautiful quick combinations. Lens played without fear, without complexes and showed in the eyes of Europe that they will not be so easy to maneuver – even away from home.
Read alsoFC Sevilla – RC Lens: the Northerners at the Champions League meeting
FLOPS
The faulty goalkeepers
Very difficult to analyze the respective meetings of the Serbian Marko Dmitrović and the Frenchman Brice Samba. If the two goalkeepers made two big saves each to save their team, they remain seriously at fault on their only goal conceded. Indeed, on Lucas Ocampos’ opening score, the Blues international was lobbed on his own line while the Argentinian’s header was quite far away and above all not very powerful. On the Sevilla side, Angelo Fulgini’s free kick is certainly well taken towards the top corner, but the native of Subotica in Serbia touches the ball with hands far from being firm enough to repel the danger. Also note some clearance errors from Samba, an avoidable warning (18th) and a lack of communication sometimes with Frankowski who also pointed it out to him.
The excesses of Lensois commitments
Most certainly that RC Lens played without fear and without complexes, with a certain aggressiveness and intensity to manhandle the Andalusians in their own enclosure. But be careful not to overdo it for the next meetings. At half an hour, the Sang et Or had already received four yellow cards: Facundo Medina (13th), Florian Sotoca (17th), Brice Samba (18th) and Angelo Fulgini (30th). Moreover, the Argentine defender was sent off several times in the second half and finished the match with a total of 4 fouls, or a quarter of the fouls committed by his team. If the German referee of the match tonight Tobias Stieler did not give a red, things could be different in the coming weeks.
