Lens Frustrated with Draw Against Le Havre in Ligue 1 Return

A frustrating return to business for the Sang et Or. Lens could not do better than a draw on the Le Havre pitch on Friday, opening the 9th day of Ligue 1 (0-0). If the Artesians held the ball, the promoted Normans stood up to them in duels and intentions. Florian Sotoca thought he finally found the fault in added time but his goal was refused by the VAR. The RCL is progressing slowly before the Champions League.

After the international games and in anticipation of the match against PSV Eindhoven, Franck Haise reshuffled his starting lineup for this trip to Normandy. His players, however, started the match nicely by putting in the necessary energy and quickly created two good chances with a recovery from Andy Diouf at the penalty spot deflected at the last minute by Yoann Salmier (3rd). On the following corner and a cross from Adrien Thomasson, Wesley Saïd failed to deceive Arthur Desmas with a header (4th).

The Hacmen at the rendezvous

Having come very close to opening the opponent’s score early, Le Havre nevertheless knew how to react, raise their level and even push the visitors. Aligned in a system modeled on that of the Artésiens, they put their commitment into the duels and pushed back their opponents thanks to the efforts of Mohamed Bayo, Nabil Alioui and the American Emmanuel Sabbi, starting for the first time.

Hungarian international Loïc Nego had to replace Christopher Opéri as right piston (23rd). He made a thunderous entry including a small bridge over Przemyslaw Frankowski to launch an offensive (35th). Lens was struggling and Brice Samba almost conceded a penalty by hitting Sabbi but the referee M. Letexier logically considered that it was the attacker who had made contact with the goalkeeper (38th).

Bayo frustrated, Sotoca too

Without Elye Wahi, suspended, the Lensois struggled again in the restart and saw Alioui place a beautiful curling shot above Samba’s cage (48th). Coming in place of Andy Diouf, Angelo Fulgini, however, brought more technical quality while Sotoca and Adrien Thomasson lacked offensive inspiration. Le Havre remained enterprising and Bayo showed himself in the Lens area (63rd and 61st) before returning to face the wide open goal on a shot from Nego deflected by Samba but Kevin Danso miraculously emerged to counter it by tackling (71st) .

The Sang et Or responded and Sotoca alerted Arthur Desmas from a corner (73rd). The striker even sent the ball into the back of the Le Havre net in added time, but his goal was ultimately refused for an offside by Morgan Guilavogui at the start of the counter (90th + 3). Very happy, the Le Havre people are raising their heads following two defeats. The Lensois, for their part, must be content with a new sharing of points after that against Lille (1-1) and confirm their difficulties in negotiating the championship and the European Cup.

2023-10-20 21:37:00
#League #winner #goal #Havre #Lens #opening #9th #day