Lens Strike Back: Third Place Sealed as Rivals Slip, PSG Stands Tall with Late Winner
2 November 2025
Lens seize third as rivals stumble
Lens took full advantage as their direct rivals Monaco and Strasbourg faltered, leaping to third place with a 3-0 win at home against Lorient in Ligue 1's eleventh round.
The result also steadied Lens after last weekend's 0-2 loss to Metz, leaving them on 22 points, level on goal difference with Marseille and two behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
Odson Edouard, Wesley Saïd, and Samson Baidoo were the scorers for Lens (6, 77, 89).
Monaco’s hopes took a knock after a surprise 1-0 home defeat by newly promoted Paris FC on Saturday, dropping to fifth with 20 points as Sunday’s matches unfolded.
Strasbourg hammered Rennes 4-1, denying their visitors a chance to climb into third.
Esteban Lobol starred with a hat-trick (9, 48, 60) while Mohamed Meité added Rennes’ only goal (35) and Sebastian Nanasi netted Strasbourg’s fourth (77).
Rennes stayed sixth on 19 points, behind Lyon in seventh on goal difference after Strasbourg’s big win.
Lille were among the biggest beneficiaries, moving to fourth with a 1-0 win over Angers thanks to a strike from Portuguese forward Felix Corea (45+2).
Toulouse and Le Havre played to a goalless draw, with Toulouse on 15 points in ninth and Le Havre on 13 in 12th.
Metz extended their revival with a 2-0 victory at Nantes, lifting them to eight points in seventh, while Nantes remained in 15th position.
Paris Saint-Germain stopped the slide with a 1-0 win over Nice at the Parc des Princes, Ramos scoring at 90+5 after coming on as a substitute.
Ramós continued his fine form, having also impressed in Europe, and PSG moved to 24 points at the summit, ahead of a key upcoming clash with Bayern Munich at home.
Nice sat on 17 points, with the European tie looming later in the week.
Enrique underscored the difficulty of the win, praising PSG’s defensive resilience and the late breakthrough as a reflection of his players’ belief.
He also highlighted the squad’s depth, noting how the blend of starters and substitutes helped PSG edge out a tough opponent.
Asked about celebrations, he said the fans’ energy throughout the match spurred the team to fight until the final whistle.
Enrique concluded that every effort counted, with Ramos and Dembélé among those making crucial impacts from the bench, and the entire team contributing to a deserved victory.
Punchline: If football were a sniper, Lens didn’t miss—three bullets, three points, and a clear path to third place. Boom, the table learns to duck.
Punchline: PSG’s late winner didn’t just seal three points; it reminded the league that champions don’t clock out early—stylishly late, obviously.
