PLAYER RATINGS | Lens 1-1 Rennes: Hosts held to frustrating draw
Ligue 1, Matchday 2, Lens v Rennes, 20/08/2023
RC Lens’ first Ligue 1 home game of the season started with Elye Wahi signing his contract, and it ended with a draw against Stade Rennais.
The Artois side started brilliantly, showing glimpses of their impressive counter-pressing qualities that had brought them to second place last season. It only took three minutes for Le Sang et Or to draw first blood. Colombian full-back Deiver Machado found the back of Steve Mandanda’s net with an inspired left-footed half-volley from a corner kick Enzo Le Fée had failed to properly clear.
Rennes badly struggled to cope with the hosts’ intensity. They gradually grew into the game though, but not nearly enough to seriously threaten Brice Samba. The former Nottingham Forest was impeccably shielded by Lens’ ever-reliable defence. The visitors failed to register a single shot during the first half. Sotoca went close to doubling his side’s lead just before half-time, but he could only find Mandanda’s side netting with a powerful volley.
Lens were left to rue these chances and their failure to add to their advantage. Benjamin Bourigeaud fed Arnaud Kalimuendo who was then brought to the ground by Salis Abdul Samed in the box. Benoît Millot pointed to the spot and Bourigeaud, a former Lens youth product, wrong-footed Samba to restore parity. In two Ligue 1 games, Lens have conceded three penalties. Rennes’ Bruno Geneseio rang the changes with Nemanja Matić, Désiré Doué and Jérémy Doku respectively replacing the struggling Baptiste Santamaria, Le Fée and Ludovic Blas.
The visitors’ high line invited Lens to keep on knocking at the door. Mandanda deflected an Andy Diouf strike on his crossbar whilst Samba came up big in front of Doku. It was
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