The National Times - Strasbourg fight back to beat Lens in Ligue 1

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Strasbourg fight back to beat Lens in Ligue 1

SPORTS 29.08.2026

Strasbourg fight back to beat Lens in Ligue 1 / Photo: © AFP

Strasbourg battled back from a goal down to beat Lens 2-1 in Ligue 1 on Saturday, giving new coach Hugo Oliveira his first win in charge.

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Florian Thauvin's 100th Ligue 1 goal put Dino Toppmoeller's Lens on track for a third straight win in all competitions this season.

But 20-year-old Moroccan international Gessime Yassine scored his first two goals for Strasbourg as they bounced back from an opening 4-0 hammering at Marseille last weekend.

Lens were awarded a penalty 10 minutes before half-time for a foul by Jeyland Mitchell on Abdallah Sima.

Thauvin stepped up to slot the ball into the corner and complete his century of goals in the French top flight, continuing his excellent start to the season after scoring a double against Auxerre last weekend and also netting the winner in the Champions' Trophy against Paris Saint-Germain.

But the hosts levelled less than three minutes into the second half as Yassine opened his account with a deflected shot after being picked out by Sebastian Nanasi.

They thought they had completed the turnaround in the 56th minute, but Jacobo Ortega's close-range header was ruled out after a lengthy VAR review for offside.

Oliveira's men did take the lead with five minutes remaining, though, as Yassine volleyed home Nanasi's cross at the back post to spark wild celebrations.

Lens almost immediately snatched an equaliser, but Matthieu Udol's header came crashing back off the post.

Lille lead the early Ligue 1 table despite losing a two-goal lead in injury time to draw 2-2 with reigning champions PSG on Friday.

S.Arnold--TNT

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