Lens salvage dramatic draw at Brest but title hopes suffer blow
RC Lens fought back from three goals down to secure a dramatic 3-3 draw away at Stade Brestois on Thursday, but the result leaves them three points behind Paris Saint-Germain in the Ligue 1 title race with four games remaining. According to reports from the match, Lens, who needed a win to keep pace with the leaders, fell behind to a stunning Daouda Guindo strike from distance in the seventh minute. Lucas Tousart, making his first start since January, doubled the lead for the hosts in the 24th minute before Junior Dina Ebimbe added a third just before halftime.
Facing a seemingly insurmountable deficit, Lens manager Pierre Sage made a host of attacking substitutions early in the second half. The changes had an immediate impact, with Florian Thauvin capitalizing on a defensive error to pull a goal back on the hour mark. Abdallah Sima then made it 3-2 just four minutes later, setting up a frantic finale. Allan Saint-Maximin, who had entered the fray alongside Thauvin, saw one effort hit the post before finally finding the equalizer deep into stoppage time with a powerful long-range strike that beat goalkeeper Gregoire Coudert.
While the comeback showcased significant resilience from the visitors, the two points dropped could prove fatal to their championship ambitions. PSG now holds a three-point cushion and a superior goal difference. For Brest, already secure in mid-table, the performance was a testament to their competitive spirit under manager Eric Roy, though they will rue their inability to close out a commanding lead. The match statistics, highlighted by Stats Foot on social media, showed Brest scored with their first three shots on target, demonstrating a clinical edge that deserted them in the second period.
The result adds further intrigue to the final weeks of the French season, with Lens now requiring a slip-up from the Parisians while aiming for a perfect finish themselves. Brest, meanwhile, will look to build on the positives from a strong first-half display as they play out the remainder of the campaign. The match was also notable for the late dismissal of Brest's Eric Roy, with the French football authorities expected to review the incident in the coming days.
