Thauvin strikes twice as dominant Lens dismantle Auxerre
Your browser does not support the audio element.
Florian Thauvin scored two penalties as Lens dominated Auxerre 5-2 in their inaugural French Ligue 1 match on Saturday. The French side, who finished second last season, continued their strong form from the previous campaign. Lens captain Thauvin converted both penalties, one either side of halftime. Manager Dino Toppmoeller's team secured a solid start to the season, with defender Matthieu Udol emphasizing the importance of the win and the opening of the campaign strongly.
Auxerre conceded a first-half red card to Christ Massoko for fouling Abdallah Sima, giving Lens a two-man advantage in the second half. Franjo Ivanovic and Thauvin added to Lens' lead, with Saud Abdulhamid and Danny Namaso reducing the deficit in the second half. Ismael Ganiou and Lamine Sy further extended the Northern French club's lead before Thauvin sealed the victory with his second penalty just minutes from halftime.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.