Lens reclaimed top spot in Ligue 1 with a dominant 5-0 win, while Marseille’s late collapse in a 2-2 draw highlighted their ongoing struggles

LENS reclaimed the Ligue 1 summit with a ruthless 5-0 demolition of Paris FC on Saturday. The victory, their third consecutive league win, sent Pierre Sage’s side one point clear of champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Wesley Said and Rayan Fofana each scored twice in the romp at Stade Jean-Bouin. Florian Thauvin also converted a penalty as struggling Paris FC remained 15th.

Said opened the scoring in the 24th minute after being set up by Odsonne Edouard. He doubled the lead seven minutes before halftime with a fine finish into the top corner.

Thauvin made it 3-0 just before the hour mark from the penalty spot. Substitutes Fofana and Allan Saint-Maximin then combined to add two more goals in stoppage time.

Meanwhile, Marseille began life after Roberto De Zerbi with a frustrating 2-2 home draw against Strasbourg. The Italian coach departed earlier in the week following a heavy defeat to rivals PSG.

Goals from Mason Greenwood and Amine Gouiri had seemingly secured three points for interim boss Jacques Abardonado. The hosts led 2-0 until the 73rd minute.

Sebastian Nanasi’s strike then set up a nervy finale at the Stade Velodrome. Joaquin Panichelli converted a 97th-minute penalty to snatch a point for the visitors after Emerson Palmieri fouled Gessime Yassine.

The late collapse condemned Marseille to fourth place, 11 points off the pace. “It’s becoming a recurring theme,” Abardonado said.

“The team is maybe not sick, but it is struggling a lot. When it happens again and again like this, it’s difficult.”

The draw kept Gary O’Neil’s Strasbourg seventh in the table on 31 points. In other action, Lille climbed to fifth with a 1-1 home draw against Brest.

Gaetan Perrin’s 71st-minute leveller earned a point for Lille after Remy Labeau-Lascary had given the Breton side the lead.

 The Sun Malaysia