PLAYER RATINGS | Clermont 0-3 Lens: Les Sang et Or win in heated affair ahead of Arsenal clash
Ligue 1, Round 13, 25/11/23
RC Lens extended their Ligue 1 unbeaten run to eight games to consolidate their sixth place in the table after a comfortable 3-0 win over Clermont Foot.
Lens began the match without some key figures. Kevin Danso was rested as a precaution with the Austrian international suffering from a minor niggle, whilst Florian Sotoca, Nampalys Mendy and Andy Diouf were all also absent from the starting lineup ahead of a midweek clash against Arsenal.
Despite some key absentees, Les Sang et Or nonetheless quickly established their dominance and worked Mory Diaw into two early saves. Elye Wahi then beat the Senegalese international with a clever looped header. One behind, Clermont Foot began to grow into the game and it was Brice Samba’s turn to make a crucial save, denying Grejohn Kyei from close range.
From almost equalising, Clermont almost found themselves two down minutes later and would have been if not for a brilliant Diaw save from a close-range Wahi header. The France U21 international would not get another chance to double his account as he would be sent off before the end of the half after getting two yellows in quick succession – the first for blocking a free-kick and then a second for an altercation with Alidu Seidu. The latter was also sent off, as was manager Pascal Gastien as tensions sparked just before the half-time whistle.
Diaw had been crucial in keeping the scoreline down in the first half, but he made the error early in the second half that allowed Franck Haise’s side to make the break. Intercepting a ball over the top, he tried to find his centre-back with a horizontal pass, but it was well read by Adrien Thomasson, who intercepted with a first-time finish from midway inside
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