Lensois show character in two straight matches

By: Jay | January 28th, 2008

My readers must forgive me for my recent absence as I have been covering the African Nations Cup. Nevertheless, the Lens project continues from La Gaillette and after a mid-week victory against Valenciennes the Lensois fought back this saturday to earn a much deserved draw against Strasbourg at the Stade Felix Bollaert.

Once again it was the Nadir Belhadj show as he ran Strasbourg ragged with his spirited play. Sidi Keita also continues to dominate the midfield with his solid defense and Kevin Monnet-Paquet billed as the next Thierry Henry by many in the French press is finally being allowed more time on the pitch and is quite naturally starting to shine.

To the action……

Lens went into saturday’s game on the back of two straight wins which had lifted them out of the relegation zone, but the visitors, themselves still looking anxiously over their shoulder, were also seeking to extend an unbeaten run to three games.

And indeed, the Sang et Or were stunned in the fourth minute when Colombian international Wason Renteria collected a wayward ball and fired home after a brief scramble in the box to give Strasbourg the proverbial perfect start.

But the lead was to be extremely short-lived as the largely ineffective Olivier Monterrubio converted a penalty barely two minutes later, sending Stephane Cassard the wrong way from the spot after defender Habib Bellaid had fouled Toifilou Maoulida.

Indeed, the dizzying opening 10 minutes almost ended with Lens taking the lead when Strasbourg defender Pierre Ducrocq deflected Fabien Laurenti’s cross into Maoulida’s path, but the striker struck his volley just over the bar.

The remainder of the half failed to live up to the frantic opening, but the Strasbourgeois almost moved ahead after the break when Guillaume Lacour was sent clear on a tête à tête with Vedran Runje, but the Lens keeper came out on top this time.

Runje could do nothing though in the 77th minute when Brazilian Álvaro Santos headed home Renaud Cohade’s tricky free kick at the near post to put the visitors in front for the second time.

But again the Lensois’ reponse was quite rapid and once again Monterrubio was at the heart of it, this time cracking a free kick into the top corner with eight minutes remaining to rescue a point for the hard working home side.

Thus, a positive result for Lens even though coach Jean-Pierre Papin and Druide Leclercq were probably expecting all three points, but the way in which the Lensois overcame adversity twice in the contest showed great resilience which may just have set a precedent for the rest of the way. At least we shall hope it is so.