Difficult to say how far the Racing Club de Lens will go this year in Ligue 1, but the Sang et Or can already be proud of having reached the mid-season milestone with the honorary title of autumn champion in their pocket. By winning in the advanced match of the 17e day, Friday January 2 in the evening, in Toulouse (3-0), Pierre Sage’s players are guaranteed to finish first at the end of the first leg of the championship thanks to the four points lead they have over Paris Saint-Germain who welcome Paris FC, Sunday evening, at the Parc des Princes.
“It’s a great reward for the players even if it’s honorary”estimated the Lensois coach, Pierre Sage. But “we can’t take it away from them”he added with a smile.
This now makes seven consecutive victories – and ten in the last eleven days – for the Northerners who are starting the year 2026 on the same basis as the end of the previous one. Lens has been sitting on the throne of Ligue 1 since November 30 and will retain its rank for at least fifteen more days since next weekend will be occupied by the Coupe de France.
Wesley Saïd, former member of the Toulouse team, scorer
However, with good momentum until then, the Toulouse Football Club (TFC) was unable to do anything against the cold realism of Lens and the dark series against the Northerners continues for the TFC which has not beaten its opponent of the day at home for six matches in fifteen years (4 defeats, 2 draws).
This fourth consecutive victory on the road, since their setback in Metz on October 29 (2-0), the Sang et Or obtained it by taking advantage of an incident of play which weighed on the debates after twenty very balanced minutes. Organized in the same tactical pattern (3-5-2), the two teams had neutralized each other until then, without a thrill except for a header from Wesley Saïd forcing the Toulouse goalkeeper, Guillaume Restes, to intervene (22e).
The match then took an unexpected turn when TFC found themselves down to ten men after a dangerous tackle from their attacker Emersonn on Odsonne Edouard (23e), forcing the latter to leave the field fifteen minutes later. A numerical superiority that the leader was unable to exploit before the break, only having one opportunity on a free kick from Bulatovic perfectly deflected by Restes (42e).
The pressure is “on our adversaries”
Masters of the ball from the kick-off of the second act, the Lensois laid siege to the Toulouse goal. It was ultimately from the foot of a veteran of the purple house that the deliverance came, on a curling shot from Saïd from inside the area (1-0, 57e).
The same Saïd missed the double on a poorly adjusted header (70e) before captain Sang et Or Adrien Thomasson put his team to safety with a strike from Fofana repelled by Restes dans ses pieds (2-0, 85e). Pierre Ganiou, at the end of added time, added to the score with a nice strike (3-0, 90+5), leaving Toulouse, 8e in the ranking, KO.
“Seven wins in a row is a sure sign”declared Pierre Sage, considering that the leadership position of his team “puts pressure on [les] adversaries, not on us.”
Lens will debut its new status at Sochaux, a National club (3e division), Saturday January 10, in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France. With the objective, again, of making the pleasure last as long as possible.
