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00:00FANS SING IN FRENCH
00:11HALF-TIME WHISTLE
00:13...for European qualification here in France is hotting up.
00:19Lens and Strasbourg are two teams playing catch-up with the sides above them.
00:24Lens beginning the day just outside the top six
00:29and with a fragile three-point advantage over Strasbourg in the table.
00:33The visitors looking to wipe that out today with a victory here in a stadium
00:38where losses have been so strong in the last few years but they have
00:41slipped up a couple of times already in front of their own fans in 2025.
00:48PSG won on this ground last month albeit the Parisians really had to work for the victory.
00:53Toulouse were rather more surprising away winners in this stadium last month.
01:05There have been a lot of changes at Lens in the last few weeks of course.
01:12Lens lost their goalkeeper in Captain Brice Samba, the French international
01:17and a number of key defensive players moving on as well.
01:20Abdulkadir Kusanov had been a revelation, the defender from Uzbekistan sold to Manchester City.
01:31Corner kick has been given, first attempt on goal of the day was N'Zula trying his luck
01:37and it clearly took a touch on its way past, it seemed like a harmless shot.
01:43Neal El Aidaoui then to deliver the corner here.
01:57Plenty lost players in the middle looking to attack this ball.
02:05Last victory in this fixture for the men from Alsace was in April of 2022 by goal to Neal.
02:12A strong play from N'Zula picked up by Machalo, there's Fulgini outside him.
02:23Fulgini using Thomasson as a relay, Diouf on the edge of the box trying to force his way through.
02:30Fulgini, too many blue shirts in the way, it's come to Diouf out to Sotoka the captain
02:37and it's deflected behind.
02:39Not the whole team, piling on the pressure in the early stages.
02:47Cleverly done by Andi Diouf and Florian Sotoka's effort.
02:52Deflected behind by Andres Santos who celebrated that like he'd scored a goal at the other end.
03:00Can Lens make this early pressure pay off?
03:03It's collected by Petrovic.
03:09Djordje Petrovic, one of those who've come to Strasbourg via the
03:13Chelsea connection. Of course the two clubs have the same owners, Strasbourg on loan.
03:23Brighton of course a club where Liam Rosinho has plenty of ties as well, played there.
03:30Current Strasbourg coach Valentin Barco
03:34made six appearances for Brighton in the English Premier League last season. Will still, we thought
03:39at one point might move to England when he left Raas at the end of the last campaign but instead
03:46decided to stay in French football, albeit moving a little bit towards the British Isles with his
03:53switch to here in Lens. Now then, Emmanuel Emeka driving forward. Has Lumares Schell and Moreira in
04:01support. Went for goal himself and finds the side netting. Well you can understand why Emmanuel
04:07Emeka so selfish in that situation. He's been in tremendous form in front of goal in recent games but
04:17off target on that occasion. Had a good look up to see what was happening in support.
04:21Can I do a former Rennes player? Goal sent forwards, nodded on by Moreira.
04:30Emeka could be through here. Emeka is in.
04:34A clear sight of goal for Emmanuel Emeka and he hits it straight at Hervé Coffey. A bit of a
04:40defensive mix-up for Lens. Marcello and Grady getting caught underneath that high ball.
04:46Emeka got the break of the ball up against Grady.
04:52Didn't really get hold of the shot. Disappointing finish.
05:00Here they come again. Nanassi.
05:04Losing out to Diouf and there is the halftime whistle.
05:08Now Strasbourg having a couple of very decent openings.
05:12A couple of whistles and cheers from the crowd.
05:26Between Lens and Strasbourg, two teams.
05:31Damaging result for them in terms of their prospects of being in the European mix.
05:35Ocel drawing at Brest. There's the header over the bar from Emeka.
05:42Sebastian Nanassi quiet today as have
05:49been the majority of the attacking players on the pitch. Dylan Bakker has had some fitness problems.
05:57Bakker looking for Emeka on the right and he's won the free kick.
06:01The Dutch striker is going to be another card here.
06:07It's a second yellow.
06:11Machado has left his home country Sierra Leone.
06:17Now then, it's a lovely first touch by Bakker who comes inside bar and finishes it off.
06:24He's been a massive threat since coming on, Dylan Bakker.
06:29And he is the man who gets the goal to put Strasbourg into his goal tally.
06:33But for the moment he's just carrying this ball, keeping hold of it.
06:37Felix Le Maréchal inside. Tiara Bakker again.
06:41Kofi makes the save this time. Watara with the follow-up effort.
06:46A remarkable block from Juma Bar.
06:50Just last month and what an impact he's had at the start of his career in Ligue 1.
06:54Two hat-tricks in three games.
06:58This was the chance a moment ago. Habib Tiara setting up Bakker.
07:03He was denied by Kofi who came out to meet him and in the follow-up effort
07:06stopped by the head of Juma Bar. It's brave defending from Watara's shot.
07:12This is a young Strasbourg team full of exciting potential.
07:18Talented players for the...
07:19He's lost out to Bakker and Bakker might run all the way through here.
07:24Can he finish it off? Dylan Bakker waiting for support to come.
07:27Emega!
07:29That kills it off. It's another goal for Emmanuel Emega.
07:33Seven in seven games for him.
07:36And the points are heading back to Alsace.
07:49Still we play on here.
07:53Agbodifo with the ball in and the header which will go wide from Zaruri.
08:00You know Strasbourg were probably the more dangerous team.
08:02In fact there's no question they were the more dangerous team.
08:04They had the best chances in this match before the sending off but...
08:10David Machado's red card.
08:13Crucial in helping tip the balance the away team's way.
08:16But really you'd say the introduction of Bakker was the big moment.
08:24What a win as we see Emega celebrated by Strasbourg.