RC Lens Edge Marseille 2-1 to Move Up to Second in Ligue 1

Lens deal blow to Marseille's title hopes with 2-1 win

RC Lens secured a 2-1 win over Marseille, dealing a blow to their title hopes and moving up to second in the Ligue 1 standings.

Marseille pushed back and nearly equalized with their next attack, but Robin Risser made a spectacular save to deny...

Marseille's five-match winning streak came to an end with a 2-1 loss to RC Lens, dealing a blow to their title aspirations. Lens moved above Marseille into second place after their fourth consecutive home win.

Marseille started strongly, firing off four shots in the opening seven minutes, but only Mason Greenwood's header from a corner posed a threat to Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser.

Lens took the lead in the 18th minute when Timothy Weah found Mason Greenwood, who expertly curled the ball into the bottom corner for his seventh goal of the season. However, the lead was short-lived, as Lens was awarded a penalty two minutes later after Odsonne Edouard was fouled in the box. Initially, Edouard was booked for diving, but the VAR review overturned the decision, and Edouard scored the penalty with a panenka.

Lens grew in confidence as the half progressed, with Matthieu Udol and Florian Thauvin both hitting shots that narrowly missed the target. Mamadou Sangaré's powerful shot was tipped over by Geronimo Rulli in added time, keeping the scores level at halftime.

Lens' pressure paid off shortly after the break when defender Benjamin Pavard turned Edouard's corner kick into his own net, giving the hosts a well-deserved lead.

Marseille pushed back and nearly equalized with their next attack, but Robin Risser made a spectacular save to deny Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's fierce drive.

Just after the hour mark, Lens thought they had doubled their lead when Florian Thauvin's header was clawed away by Geronimo Rulli, the ball seemingly crossing the line but ultimately not given.

5 games unbeaten in a row for Lens! 🔴🟡 pic.twitter.com/kIXj5m0EQv

— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) October 25, 2025

Lens' solid defense continued to hold firm, with Geronimo Rulli making a crucial save from Matthieu Udol's long-range effort. Samson Baidoo's header from the resulting corner went wide, but the win was a step closer for Lens.

In the final moments, Mason Greenwood's shot hit the side netting, but Lens' defensive record remained intact, contributing to their league-best defensive record in the second half.

Lens secured their third consecutive 2-1 win as Geronimo Rulli made a crucial late save in added time to deny Mamadou Sangaré a goal-scoring opportunity. Meanwhile, Marseille suffered their second 2-1 loss of the week, with all three of their league defeats occurring on the road.