Lens extend unbeaten run with victory over Lyon

paris: Florian Sotoca’s late penalty earned RC Lens a 1-0 home victory against Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday, extending their unbeaten run in Ligue 1 this season.

Lens, who played their usual atractive brand of football in a packed Stade Bollaert, are fourth with 21 points having won six and drawn three of their nine games, four points behind leaders Paris St Germain.

They lie one point adrit of surprise package Lorient, who are third ater Theo Le Bris’s late strike earned them a 2-1 home win against Lille despite being reduced to 10 men ater Dango Ouatara was sent off for picking up a second yellow card shortly ater the hour.

Lyon’s fourth consecutive defeat let them in seventh place on 13 points and put added pressure on coach Peter Bosz.

“With that crowd we know that we have an extra weapon, it makes everything easier,” said Lens keeper Brice Samba.

Lyon have lost four league games in a row for the first time since 1991, ramping up the pressure on Dutch coach Peter Bosz.

Earlier on Sunday, fith-placed Monaco beat Nantes 4-1 to snatch their fourth league victory in a row as Wissam Ben Yedder’s hat-trick put them on 17 points.

At Stade Bollaert, Lens dominated possession in the first half but Lyon had the beter chance to take the lead when Alexandre Lacazete’s deflected shot hit the crossbar.

The hosts applied more pressure ater the break and went close on two occasions, when Jimmy Cabot’s atempt brushed the post just before Anthony Lopes denied Wesley Said from point-blank range in the 76th.

Lens were however rewarded in the 82nd minute as Sotoca coolly converted a penalty ater a Thiago Mendes handball, a week before they play Lille in the northern derby.