Lens mount stunning comeback from two goals down to defeat 10-man Toulouse and maintain pressure on PSG

No side in Ligue 1 has picked up more points on home soil than Lens this term (W13, D2), yet they trailed 2-0 after just 13 minutes following a remarkable opening to the match.

Robin Risser bore responsibility for Toulouse’s sixth-minute strike, as the keeper inexplicably allowed Cristian Casseres Jr’s long-range effort to slip through his grasp.

That marked only the midfielder’s second goal of the season, and another surprise scorer extended the advantage after 13 minutes when Les Violets recycled a corner, enabling 18-year-old academy product Seny Koumbassa to nod in his debut senior strike.

Les Sang et Or received a boost merely four minutes later, when Toulouse’s leading marksman Yann Gboho received his marching orders for a reckless tackle following a review by referee Jeremie Pignard via the VAR screen.

Lens seized control, and Wesley Said directed a header wide of the post before Gillaume Restes produced a sharp double stop against Matthieu Udol.

Florian Sotoca believed he had reduced the arrears on the half-hour, but Pignard identified a foul by the captain during his header. Even with Lens dominating, Toulouse held firm to the interval, leading at the break for just the second occasion in their last 11 Ligue 1 outings (HT: D4, L5).

The pressure persisted post-restart, and Said ought to have improved on his effort when he headed over early in the second half, prior to directing his subsequent header straight at Restes.

The shot-stopper was eventually breached in the 61st minute as substitute Allan Saint-Maximin delivered to the back post, allowing Saud Abdulhamid to head in his second goal of the term off the upright.

Six minutes later Lens drew level, with Restes unable to cling to Malang Sarr’s low shot from distance, enabling Adrien Thomasson - who netted in his team’s 3-0 victory in the earlier meeting - to slot home his third of the campaign.  

Lens hunted for the decisive blow, but it seemed their superiority might not yield full reward, until Ganiou connected with a corner for the winner amid their 42 shots overall in added time.

Les Sang et Or now sit merely one point adrift of Ligue 1 frontrunners Paris Saint-Germain - though the title holders possess two fixtures to spare - and their aspiration for a maiden top-division crown since 1997/98 endures.

For now, this outcome ought to provide them an advantage upon their return to this venue on Tuesday against Toulouse, who have secured only two Ligue 1 triumphs since early February (D2, L7).