Lens crushes Auxerre 5-2 and launches season in style after Trophy of Champions
Six days after beating PSG for the Trophy of Champions, RC Lens dominated Auxerre 5-2 at Bollaert in Ligue 1's opening day, with a Thauvin brace and a decisive numerical advantage from the 35th minute.
RC Lens opened their Ligue 1 season with an authoritative 5-2 victory against Auxerre on Saturday at Bollaert, just six days after claiming the Trophy of Champions against PSG.
Thauvin launched proceedings from the penalty spot in the 12th minute, before Makosso’s red card in the 35th minute definitively swung the match in favour of the Sang et Or. With the numerical advantage, Lens took control in the second half: Ivanovic (49th), Abdulhamid (54th), Ganiou (66th) and Thauvin again from the penalty spot (88th) added to the scoreline to reach five goals.
Auxerre reduced the deficit twice through Namaso from the penalty spot (61st) and Sy (69th), but never truly troubled a confident Lens side. The Burgundy club, reduced to ten men, could only limit the damage in a conquered Bollaert.
Lens, runners-up to PSG last season, immediately establish themselves at the top of the table and will travel to Strasbourg next week for their first real away test. Auxerre, for their part, must bounce back at home against Angers in the next round.
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