Lens and Marseille have seized the provisional co-leadership of France’s top football division, both accumulating 25 points to put immediate pressure on reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain.
The 12th matchday saw Lens secure a commanding 4-1 away victory over Monaco, while Marseille dispatched Brest with a 3-0 home win. These results propel both clubs to the summit, one point ahead of Paris Saint-Germain, who sit in third place with 24 points.
Lens delivered a clinical performance against Monaco, capitalizing on defensive errors from their hosts. Odsonne Edouard opened the scoring for Lens in the 21st minute.
Monaco briefly equalized with a penalty from American forward Folarin Balogun in the 37th minute. However, the visitors quickly regained control.
Wesley Said scored his first goal in the 40th minute, followed by Mamadou Sangare extending Lens’s lead to 3-1 in the 45th minute, just after Balogun was sent off for Monaco. Said then added his second goal in the 60th minute to complete the 4-1 rout.
Marseille’s victory at home was equally decisive. English international Ángel Gomes scored in the 25th minute, capitalizing on a significant error by Brest’s goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki.
Another English player, Mason Greenwood, doubled Marseille’s lead in the 33rd minute from a penalty kick. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sealed the 3-0 win with a stylish goal in the 81st minute, reflecting Marseille’s dominance at home.
Paris Saint-Germain, the four-time champions, will aim to reclaim the top spot when they visit Lyon on Sunday. Lyon, coached by Paulo Fonseca, currently stands fifth in the league with 20 points.
In other league action, Nantes, led by Portuguese coach Luís Castro, conceded a late equalizer against Le Havre. Matthis Abline had given Nantes the lead in the fourth minute, but Gautier Lloris secured a 1-1 draw for Le Havre in the 95th minute.
Le Havre now sits in 12th position with 14 points, level with Paris FC in 11th. Nantes is 14th with 10 points, just two points above the relegation zone.