Ligue 1: Lens Title Hopes Falter After Late Draw at Nice

Saint-Maximin strike not enough as Lens drop points again

The result leaves Lens six points behind PSG with their title hopes fading. Nice extended their gap to the relegation play-off spot to six points.

Saud Abdulhamid’s red card proved costly for Lens in a 1-1 draw at Nice...

Lens’ slim chances of winning Ligue 1 took a hit after conceding a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Nice at the Allianz Riviera. The result leaves them winless in their last five away league games.

Paris Saint-Germain’s draw with Lorient had revived Lens’ title push, and a trip to face struggling Nice looked like a chance to pressure the leaders. Before half-time, though, the hosts matched Lens and created problems for Les Sang et Or.

Juma Bah had Nice’s best opening with a free header, but Robin Risser produced a fine save to keep it out. The miss extended the hosts’ run without a goal to nine matches in a row.

 

Lens took control as the first half wore on and went close twice through Mamadou Sangare and once via Odsonne Edouard. 

Seconds into the second half, Mohamed-Ali Cho fired wide in one of few chances before the hour mark. Lens then took the lead out of nowhere when Allan Saint-Maximin latched onto Adrien Thomasson’s through ball, rounded Diouf, and walked the ball into an empty net from outside the area.

The goal lifted Lens, and Florian Thauvin nearly made it 2-0 with a curling strike from distance that clipped the top of the crossbar.

With just under 10 minutes left, Lens were reduced to 10 men after Saud Abdulhamid was sent off for bringing down Sofiane Diop on the edge of the area as the last defender. 

 

All square between Nice & Lens 🤝 pic.twitter.com/ZdRpNydkKS

— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) May 2, 2026

From the free-kick, Diop’s shot deflected into the path of Ali Abdi, who poked it through Robin Risser’s legs from close range. The equaliser came against the run of play, and while Nice grew in confidence afterward, they couldn’t find a winner.

The draw leaves Lens six points behind PSG at the top. Even with a game against the champions still to come, they now need PSG to drop points again and would also have to overturn a large goal difference gap to win the league. 

Nice moved six points clear of the relegation play-off spot, though they have played a game more than Auxerre with two matches remaining.