Lens thrash AC Ajaccio to secure long awaited Champions League return
In front of home support for one last time in 2022/23, the task was simple for Lens; win, and they would be reunited with Europe’s elite. They looked like doing so from the off, going 2-0 up within the first 22 minutes of the match.
Deiver Machado’s back-post header at the end of Adrien Thomasson’s cross opened the scoring, before the assister turned goalscorer by latching onto a through pass and finishing first-time in the box to double the advantage.
Ajaccio were fearing a third consecutive 5-0 defeat to add insult to an already disappointing campaign, and would inch ever closer to this unwanted feat before the break. Marking Kevin Danso during a corner routine, Oumar Gonzalez was adjudged to have hauled his opponent to the ground, resulting in a spot-kick.
Up stepped Lois Openda, who was fortunate Francois-Joseph Sollarco dived the wrong way as he slotted in his team’s third goal of the night and his 20th of the campaign to the right of the net, though not as close to the corner as he would have hoped.
Early second-half opportunities for Seko Fofana and Florian Sotoca that cleared the crossbar meant there was no change to the scoreline upon the hour mark, despite no drop in intensity from the home side.
This would be the case again for Fofana, who was seeking his fourth goal in as many matches, as he lacked composure in front of an open left side of the goal when opting to backheel wide of the post, before Massadio Haidara was unable to convert a corner routine at the back post for what would have been his first of the campaign.
In spite of a relaxed second period, the necessary damage had already been done. The only downside of the evening for the victors came in the form of PSG’s draw away to Strasbourg taking any outside chance of a title upset out of mathematical possibility, though given the contrast of resources of both clubs, Franck Haise and his men will surely bask in their achievement, relishing the return of Champions League nights to the Bollaert in 2023/24.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Adrien Thomasson (Lens)
