PSG thump Rennes but Lens remain top in France / Photo: Loic VENANCE - AFP
PSG thump Rennes but Lens remain top in France
Surprise package Lens will emerge from the weekend as French Ligue 1 leaders after a 2-1 win at Nantes on Saturday but Paris Saint-Germain thumped Rennes in the late game to loom just one point behind them.
French and European Champions PSG travel to Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League midweek and on Saturday fielded a weakened side that routed Rennes 5-0, having slipped up 1-0 at Monaco last weekend.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored twice with youngster Senny Mayulu, Ibrahim Mbaye and Gonçalo Ramos completing the romp in injury time.
The modest northern club Lens with a large regional support base climbed top for the first time in 21 years last weekend, and were to remain top regardless of Paris Saint-Germain's result.
Lens sit top with 34 points, PSG have 33, and Marseille and Lille both have 29 after Lille edged OM 1-0 on Friday.
Former Marseille and Newcastle attacking-midfielder Florian Thauvin set Lens on their way to this fifth straight league win on 34 minutes and Wesley Saïd scored the winner on 81 after Nantes had levelled on 38 through Youssef El-Arabi.
The 32-year-old Thauvin won the World Cup with France in 2018 but has been largely in the international wilderness since, playing two years at Tigres in Mexico and signing for Lens this season after two solid seasons at Udinese.
He has five League goals this season and also scored on his first France appearance in six years after replacing Kylian Mbappe against Azerbaijan.
After four consecutive defeats Nice play Angers at home on Sunday, looking to end a dire run on the pitch and tensions between the team and supporters off it.
N.Macleod--EWJ
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