The match was closely contested, with both sides creating opportunities, but the best chance of the opening stages fell to Kevin Danso, whose powerful snapshot sailed just over the bar.
It took a moment of brilliance to break the deadlock, and Lens delivered to the delight of their traveling supporters. Adrien Thomasson seized the opportunity after pouncing on a rebound at the edge of the area, firing a precise shot into the bottom corner to net his second goal of the season and give his side the lead.
Reims, known for their impressive attacking form this season with 20 goals in their first 12 league matches—a record not seen since 1977—struggled to find their rhythm in the final third early on. Their best opportunity of the first half came in the dying moments when a slick attacking move saw Keito Nakamura force Lens goalkeeper Brice Samba into a sharp save to keep the score level at halftime.
Lens, who have been formidable on the road with just one loss in their last seven away matches, continued to demonstrate their strength after the restart. They pressed for a second goal, and Reims keeper Yehvann Diouf pulled off a brilliant double-save to deny them. However, the visitors remained relentless, particularly on the counter-attack.
Just after the hour mark, M’Bala Nzola made amends for an earlier missed chance. In the 63rd minute, he latched onto a well-weighted pass from Angelo Fulgini and slotted the ball into the bottom corner to double Lens’ lead.
Reims, despite their attacking pedigree, were wasteful in front of goal. Junya Ito squandered a golden opportunity 15 minutes from time when he found himself one-on-one with Samba but could only shoot straight at the Lens goalkeeper. That miss effectively ended Reims’ hopes of a comeback.
Lens managed the final stages of the game with composure, ensuring they secured a valuable 2-0 victory. The result marked their second win in three league outings, moving them above Reims into sixth place in the Ligue 1 table. For Lens, the win underscores their strong away form and continued climb up the standings.
