Lens was too solid and too clinical for Marseille in their showdown for the runner-up spot in the French league on Saturday.
Lens, the team with the best home record this season, defeated the best side on the road 2-1 to leapfrog Marseille into the second spot and put pressure on stumbling leader Paris Saint-Germain.
Goals from Seko Fofana and Lois Openda gave Lens a 15th home win and moved it two points above Marseille, and just three behind PSG. The league leader travels to Troyes on Sunday.
“Frankly, it was an exceptional match, we knew it was a match to move past Marseille again,” Openda said after taking his league tally to 19 goals. “We showed what we wanted to achieve in this league. We have four matches left to play, they will be crucial.”
In a buoyant atmosphere at the packed Stade Delelis-Bollaert, Marseille had the upper hand for long spells and imposed its trademark high press to unbalance the host. But it struggled to get past Lens’ solid three-man defense, which has conceded just 26 goals in 34 league matches.
