With newfound confidence, in front of a wild public, Lens celebrated the return of the Champions League to its Stade Bollaert, after 21 years of waiting, by coming up against Arsenal, supposedly superior in appearance. Lens won this Tuesday, October 3 thanks to Adrien Thomasson and Sepe Elye Wahi (2-1).
Published on: 03/10/2023 – 22:55
2 mn
This meeting against the Londoners, already at the top of their group after their trip against PSV Eindhoven (4-0), was for the players of the Artesian club a peak of their career. And the draw obtained by Courage in Seville (1-1) during the first day of C1, two weeks ago, had proven that the Sang et Or were capable of playing in the big leagues.
Little Thumbs who shake up Arsenal
This evening, Lens got off to a bad start to their duel after a thunderous start to the match. An error from Adrien Thomasson, who does not ensure a back pass, allows Bukayo Saka to recover the ball and find Gabriel Jesus, at the edge of the area. The leather ends in the small left net of Brice Samba (14th).
But Adrien Thomasson will end up redeeming himself by equalizing with a curling shot from the right which lodges in the small right net (25th). The Little Thumbs of this competition return to the locker room after having upset the Gunners, with a budget three times higher, reigning vice-champions of England, currently third.
Football can sometimes be something other than a story of money: a story of desire. In the second half, the people of the North are delighted. After a masterful save from Brice Samba with his right foot, Lens doubled the lead thanks to Sepe Elye Wahi who took advantage of a cross from Florian Sotoca to regain the ball with a touch from the right to the penalty spot. The action ends in the left net (69th). Just before, Lens had already panicked the Bollaert stands when Abdul Samed struck at the edge of the area. Raya was beaten, but the ball flirted with the right post (64th). Lens, who took the lead in Group B, certainly won “the match” of the year against Arsenal, undefeated since the start of the season.
Since the meeting in Andalusia, the Lensois have won their first two victories of the season in Ligue 1, against Toulouse (2-1) then at Strasbourg (1-0), a sign of a revival after a poor start (four defeats in five matches), which had caused it to sink to last place in the championship for a time.
