Racing Club de Strasbourg secured a 2-1 home victory over RC Lens at the Stade de la Meinau on Saturday afternoon, coming from a goal down to win thanks to a second-half brace from young forward Gessime Yassine.
Florian Thauvin had given the visiting side the lead from the penalty spot in the 38th minute, scoring his 100th career goal in Ligue 1, before Yassine equalised shortly after the interval and netted the winning goal six minutes from time.
The result gives Strasbourg their first points of the new Ligue 1 season following a heavy 4-0 defeat away to Marseille on the opening weekend. Lens, who finished as French top-flight runners-up last season, suffered their first defeat of the campaign. Both clubs now hold three points from their opening two matches, with Lens sitting fifth in the table and Strasbourg moving up to eighth place.
Early chances and penalty opener
Strasbourg entered their home opener under pressure to make amends for their opening-weekend loss in Marseille, having experienced significant squad turnover during a busy summer transfer window. Lens began the match with an unusual kickoff routine, copying a tactic used by Paris Saint-Germain by kicking the opening ball directly out of play near the corner flag.
Both teams displayed an attacking mindset from the opening whistle in Strasbourg. In the 20th minute, Strasbourg's Danish goalkeeper Jorgensen produced a sharp reflex save to deny Lens midfielder Cuisance from close range after Thauvin had cut the ball back inside the penalty area.
Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser responded with an equally impressive reflex save twelve minutes later. Strasbourg forward Reyna found space unmarked at the far post and struck a powerful volley on target in the 32nd minute, but Risser reacted quickly on his line to turn the shot away with a hand block.
The deadlock was broken in the 35th minute when Strasbourg defender Mitchell committed a foul on Lens forward Abdallah Sima inside the penalty box. Although home players contested the decision as severe, the Video Assistant Referee did not intervene.
Thauvin stepped up to take the penalty in the 38th minute and sent Jorgensen the wrong way with a calm spot kick into the corner. The goal marked Thauvin's 100th career goal in Ligue 1 and gave Lens a 1-0 lead at the half-time break.
Second half equaliser and VAR decision
Strasbourg restarted the match with high intensity, mounting three minutes of continuous pressure from the start of the second half. In the 48th minute, a swift counter-attack ended with Yassine controlling the ball inside the Lens penalty area and driving a low, angled shot past Risser into the far corner to make it 1-1.
Lens attempted to regain the lead immediately. In the 51st minute, Sima combined in a sharp one-two with Udol inside the Strasbourg half, but his subsequent shot flashed just wide of the far post.
Strasbourg thought they had taken the lead in the 55th minute when Ortega turned the ball in from close range after Risser produced a remarkable initial save from a Nanasi header. However, after a minute-long video review, the referee disallowed the goal in the 58th minute after VAR determined Ortega was offside by a single centimetre during the initial cross from Yassine.
The two-goal performance marked a major breakthrough for 21-year-old Yassine. The young attacker had previously struggled to convince professional clubs to sign him due to concerns over his slender frame, before Dunkerque and former Senegal striker Demba Ba gave him his first professional opportunity in Ligue 2 three years ago.
Late winner and closing defensive stand
Following the disallowed goal, the match entered a quieter period around the 65th minute as both teams sought a second wind. Physical fatigue became evident on the Lens players, although Risser comfortably caught a header from Ortega in the 73rd minute before both attacks slowed in the 78th minute.
Strasbourg regained their attacking momentum as the match entered its closing stages. In the 81st minute, Amo-Ameyo struck a curling shot from distance that forced Risser into a diving save to tip the ball over the crossbar.
The home side found the winning goal in the 84th minute. Amo-Ameyo picked out Nanasi on the left side of the penalty area with a precise pass, allowing Nanasi to float a delicate cross to the back post at the end of his run. Yassine met the ball on the volley with the inside of his right foot, directing it past Risser into the net to make it 2-1 and set off wild celebrations at La Meinau.
Lens launched a desperate search for an equaliser during seven minutes of added time. In the 87th minute, Udol saw a header crash off the goalpost from a corner, before Jorgensen made a vital point-blank save during a chaotic goalmouth scramble inside the Strasbourg penalty box.
Jorgensen produced one final save in the 97th minute, preserving Strasbourg's 2-1 lead until the referee blew the final whistle in the 98th minute to seal the victory for the home side.
