RC Lens hosted Panathinaikos Athens this Thursday evening in the Conference League play-off first leg. Reduced to 10 quickly following the expulsion of Facundo Medina, the Blood and Gold full of self-sacrifice were able to resist, after having managed to make the break, to offer themselves a small one-goal advantage before going to Athens next Thursday. A hot look back at this match.
RC Lens-Panathinaïkos : 2-1 (2-0)
Thursday, August 22, 2024 – 9 p.m. – Conference League play-off first leg
Stadc Bollaert-Delelis – 37,232 spectators
Referee: Gergo Bogar (HON)
The match sheet:
RC Lens : Samba (cap.) – Gradit, Danso, Medina – Frankowski, Thomasson (Mendy, 90′), Diouf, Machado (Chavez, 90′) – Pereira Da Costa (Khusanov, 25′) – Sotoca, Saïd (Labeau-Lascary, 70′).
Replacements: Koffi (g.), Petric (g.), Aguilar, Haïdara, Nzola, Ojediran, Fulgini, Sarr.
Coach : W. Still.
Panathinaïkos : Dragowski – Kotsiras (Vagiannidis, 68′), Ingason, Jedvaj, Mladenovic – Cerin (Jeremejeff, 85′), Arao (Limnios, 80′) – Tetê (Pellistri, 68′), Bakasetas, Djuricic (Maksomovic, 80′) – Ioannidis (cap.).
Replacements: Lilo (g.), Lodigine (g.), Katris, Max, Schenkeveld, Sporar.
Coach : D. Alonso.
Buts : Frankowski (4′), Saïd (35′) for Lens; Ioannidis (53′) for Panathinaikos
Warnings: Medina (13′) in Lens; Tetê (44′), Cerin (71′), Vagiannidis (83′) at Panathinaïkos
Expulsions : Medina (22′) to Lens.
The match:
For this “first half” of its double confrontation against Panathinaikos, RC Lens wanted to take advantage of Bollaert’s support to take the lead. This was felt from the kick-off in the attitudes with high pressing. It only took 4 minutes for the Blood and Gold to crack Pana with a superb collective action: one-two Thomasson-Sotoca, brilliant pass from the latter to find Frankowski alone on the right. The Pole’s composure did the rest (1-0, 4′). The match then seemed well on its way for an intense Blood and Gold, even if there were a few attempted incursions to manage. But the encounter seemed to suddenly switch to a harmless action. Far from his goal, Medina committed a foul that forced him to leave his partners at 10. Carried away by his momentum, he crushed the leg of Bakasetas who had just tackled. The Argentinian, who had already received a yellow card, was caught by the VAR and received a direct red card (22′).
We then expect to see Lens suffer. This is the case, but it is also and above all the opportunity for Will Still’s players, who quickly takes out Pereira Da Costa for Khusanov, to show themselves heroic. The slightest counter-attack situation is exploited to the full. On one of them, Machado goes full throttle on the left side, plays on Thomasson who finds the inevitable Saïd in front of the goal. In 2 times, the attacker allows Lens to break 10 against 11 in a Bollaert in fusion. The control of the ball is logically Greek, but the Blood and Gold do not hesitate to press the opposing defense as soon as they can. At the break, RC Lens leads 2-0 10 against 11.
Ioannidis quickly reduces the gap after the break
RC Lens have 45 minutes to hold out, not counting the stoppage time, to get away with a very good result. But Pana returns to the field with better intentions and in the 53rd minute, on a great move, Ioannidis manages to break through the Lens lock too easily in the middle to beat Samba from close range (2-1). Will Racing collapse? This is not what the first minutes that follow show with a header from Danso on a free kick that Dragowski pushes back (56th). The Blood and Gold continue to try to break through and take advantage of the good set pieces that present themselves. On one of them, a header at the far post from Gradit is caught by Dragowski (66th).
Despite their numerical superiority, a clear advantage in possession and their reduction in the score, Panathinaikos seem to struggle to get big chances. For Racing, time is long, but the defense holds… until an alleged handball in the area by Khusanov whistled by the referee on a shot from the edge of the area. But after intervention by the VAR, the referee reverses his decision to the great relief of Bollaert (87′). Lens ends the match increasingly arched in front of their goal, but they hold firm. At the Olympic stadium in Athens, next Thursday, they will have to continue to hold this one-goal advantage, against a big adversity in the stands. Without Medina suspended and we must hope this time, at 11 against 11. Because this Racing clearly has a lot to say against their opponent.
Key facts:
4′: GOAL FOR LENS: On the left side approaching the surface, Sotoca combines with Thomasson then sends a perfect brushed ball to Frankowski who he saw alone on the right side. With calm, the Pole beats Dragowski. 1-0.
10′: Good cross from Frankowski for Saïd’s header at the far post, but the striker crosses a little too much.
14′: Superb return from Danso who initially seems to be in difficulty against Ioannidis who could go alone on goal if he takes the upper hand, but the Austrian manages to steal the ball from him with a sliding tackle.
18′: Dragowski stops a 20-meter shot from Diouf with his fist.
22′: RED CARD AGAINST RC LENS: After a foul in the Lens camp more than 35 m from the goal, Bakasetas tackles and Medina, carried away by his momentum, crushes his leg. VAR intervenes and Medina is sent off on a direct red, while he already had a yellow.
24′: Samba works hard on a header from Cerin.
35′: GOAL FOR LENS: Superb against Lens. At the start, Machado accelerates while avoiding an opposing tackle, then finds Thomasson. On the left side, the midfielder crosses for Wesley Saïd who beats the goalkeeper in time. 2-0.
53′: GOAL FOR PANATHINAIKOS: A great individual move by Ioannidis who infiltrates the Lens area with great speed to beat Samba from close range. 2-1.
56′: On a free kick from Lens, Dragowski pushes away a diving header from Danso.
66′: On a free kick from the left side, a header from Gradit at the far post is caught by Dragowski.
87′: The referee awards a penalty to Panathinaikos for a handball by Khusanov on a Greek strike. But he changes his decision after consulting the video.
91′: A very dangerous cross crosses the Lens surface, but one of the Greek attackers is a few centimetres short of cutting off the trajectory with his header.
