Brest Strike First – Against the Run of Play
It was all fire from the first whistle as Lens piled the pressure, bombarding Radosław Majecki’s goal with early attempts. But just when the home crowd expected a breakthrough, it was Brest who struck first.
Jonathan Gradit made a defensive blunder, allowing Ludovic Ajorque to scoop the ball and set up Mama Baldé. After a slick one-two with Kamory Doumbia, Baldé shrugged off Malang Sarr before blasting home. Omo, against the run of play, Brest were ahead!
Fofana’s Misses and the Red Card Controversy
Lens teenager Rayan Fofana, fresh off his debut Ligue 1 goal last week, could have quickly flipped the script. But the youngster wasted two golden chances, snatching his efforts wide.
Then came the drama of the night. Majecki clumsily brought down Fofana — seemingly outside the box. The referee flashed red instantly. VAR checked and confirmed the foul was actually inside the area. But omo, here’s where the controversy started: the double jeopardy rule (which usually cancels a red if a genuine attempt is made to play the ball inside the box) didn’t save Majecki. He was still sent off, and Brest had to cope with both a penalty and being reduced to ten men.
Florian Thauvin stepped up and calmly tucked home his first Lens goal. From there, the momentum completely shifted.
Lens Take Control
With Brest shaken, Lens sensed blood. Substitute keeper Grégoire Coudert couldn’t inspire confidence, and eventually, Morgan Guilavogui pounced on a rebound to put Lens ahead. The forward — linked with a move to Southampton — left the home fans buzzing with his sharp finish.
Captain Adrien Thomasson then sealed the deal in stoppage time, sliding home from Saud Abdulhamid’s pass to make it 3-1.
Key Performers
- Adrien Thomasson (Lens, 8/10): Led by example, creative, combative, and capped his display with a goal.
- Florian Thauvin (Lens, 7/10): Showed promise, opened his scoring account from the spot.
- Rayan Fofana (Lens, 2/10): A night to forget — wasted big chances before being subbed off.
- Kamory Doumbia (Brest, 6/10): Energetic, grabbed an assist, but couldn’t influence the game after the red.
- Radosław Majecki (Brest, 3/10): Solid early on, but his controversial foul changed everything.
What Next?
Lens enter the international break full of confidence after back-to-back wins. Brest, on the other hand, will have to wait until mid-September for another chance to chase their first victory of the season.
