Trophée des Champions, 16/08/2026

Lens utilized their home advantage at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, taking on PSG in the prestigious Trophée des Champions. Despite being reduced to ten men after Kylian Antonio’s red card, Lens managed a strong defensive performance, while PSG faced a similar fate with Mendes also sent off. A goal from Florian Thauvin in the first half ultimately secured the victory for Lens.

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The Match

PSG initiated the first opportunity of the match when Kvaratskhelia attempted a long-range shot, but Risser made a competent save. Akliouche was in a prime position to score for his new team, PSG, after being set up by Vitinha but was denied by a brilliant intervention from Nawrocki. Despite a spirited start from Lens, PSG quickly established dominance over possession during the initial 20 minutes.

Florian Thauvin played a pivotal role in Lens’s attack, helping advance the team forward and aiding Ivanović, who was unable to find the target due to a solid challenge from Beraldo. Abdulhamid made his first attacking run, while Vitinha’s nervous clearance nearly resulted in an own goal.

Lens eventually took the lead against the run of play. Thauvin marked his captaincy debut with a goal, converting a well-placed pass from Udol from close range to beat Safonov.

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However, just as Lens began to establish control, they were dealt a blow with Antonio’s expulsion for a challenge on Akliouche. Although he made contact with the ball, the follow-through led to a booking from the referee.

As PSG searched for an equalizer, Doué nearly leveled the match just before halftime, maneuvering to the byline only to have his shot ricochet off the crossbar, keeping Lens ahead at the break.

In response to the first-half developments, Toppmöller substituted debutant Franjo Ivanović with Ruben Aguilar to bolster the defense. Early in the second half, Vitinha missed a chance when his shot sailed over the bar from the edge of Lens’s penalty area. Thauvin made an attempt but narrowly missed, while Luis Enrique brought in Dembélé, Ruiz, and Mendes in hopes of shifting the momentum.

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PSG’s Doué launched a powerful shot from distance, but it cleared the goal. Dembélé also attempted a strike but failed to challenge Risser. PSG appeared to equalize when Doué set up Ruiz; however, the goal was disallowed for offside. Dembélé had another opportunity to score but missed the target as time dwindled.

Lens nearly extended their lead, with Sima’s assist finding Skoras, but his strike went off target. Nuno Mendes was red-carded, equalizing the teams at ten players each after he elbowed Skoras. Udol scored a diving header, but it was ruled out due to a foul by Ruiz.

Despite the late-game tension, Lens defended resolutely and clinched their first domestic trophy of the season, adding to their accolades after a successful campaign in the Coupe de France.

Lens Player Ratings:

Robin Risser, 6

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Kylian Antonio, 3

Sent off in the 38th minute for a challenge on Maghnes Akliouche.

Ismaëlo Ganiou, 8

The young defender demonstrated maturity beyond his years, contributing significantly in defense while also pushing forward to create opportunities.

Maik Nawrocki, 7

Saud Abdulhamid, 7

Michaël Cuisance, 5

Yacine Titraoui, 7

Matthieu Udol, 7

Florian Thauvin, 7

Thauvin was instrumental in Lens’s attack throughout the match, finding the net for the opening goal and continually pressuring PSG’s defense.

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Franjo Ivanović, 4

Ivanović struggled to contribute effectively in his debut and was substituted at halftime.

Replaced by Ruben Aguilar ’45 – 7

Abdallah Sima, 4

PSG Player Ratings

Matvey Safonov, 4

Achraf Hakimi, 5

Ilya Zabarnyi, 5

Willian Pacho, 5

Lucas Digne, 4

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On his debut, Digne faced challenges in containing Thauvin’s offensive plays.

Lucas Beraldo, 4

Vitinha, 6

Warren Zaïre-Emery, 5

Maghnes Akliouche, 6

Akliouche improved from his previous appearance, actively participating and nearly scoring due to Nawrocki’s intervention.

Désiré Doué, 6

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, 5

GFFN | Liam Wraith

Trophée des Champions, 16/08/2026

Lens held the home advantage as they welcomed PSG to the Stade Bollaert-Delelis for the annual curtain-raiser in French football – the Trophée des Champions. This home advantage would count as Les Sang et Or produced a resolute defensive display after being reduced to ten men following Kylian Antonio’s dismissal. PSG also found themselves down to ten men after Mendes elbowed his marker. Florian Thauvin’s first-half goal proved to be the difference. 

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The match

Les Parisiens had the first effort on target of the match. Kvaratskhelia let fly from distance, but his effort wasn’t enough to trouble Risser, who made a good save. After being played through on goal by Vitinha, Akliouche had the opportunity to score his first goal in PSG colours, only to be thwarted by Nawrocki with a great challenge. Lens started positively, but this couldn’t be sustained as Luis Enrique’s team quickly developed a stronghold on possession in the opening 20 minutes. 

Thauvin was the beating heart of anything positive in the final third for Lens, and he drove his side forward and teed up Ivanović for his first effort in Lens colours, but he was unable to get it away thanks to a good challenge from Beraldo. Abdulhamid showed his ability to get forward for the first time, and Vitinha headed behind rather nervously, almost scoring an own goal. 

Despite immense PSG pressure, Lens opened the scoring. On his first game as skipper, Thauvin scored the opening goal. Udol’s shot ended up being a pinpoint delivery as he found the French international in ample space to dispatch his effort beyond Safonov from close range. 

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As soon as Lens began to gain a foothold in the match with their opening goal and saw more regular possession, they found themselves reduced to ten men. Kylian Antonio dived into a challenge on Akliouche and was given his marching orders. The teenager made contact with the ball first, but the follow-through clattered into the former Monaco attacking midfielder, and the referee deemed that enough to produce a red card. 

Pushing for an equaliser, the Ligue 1 champions came agonisingly close through Doué on the stroke of half-time. The French international wriggled his way through to the byline before trying to loft the ball beyond Risser, only for the crossbar to come to the Les Sang et Or goalkeeper’s rescue and keep the hosts’ lead intact at the break. 

Ruben Aguilar was brought on at the break to replace debutant Franjo Ivanović as Toppmöller aimed to shore up his defence after finding his team reduced to ten men. The ball sat up nicely for Vitinha at the edge of the Lens penalty area early in the second half. Nevertheless, the former Wolves midfielder squandered his shot as his effort sailed over the bar. 

After a forraying run forward from Ganiou, Thauvin found himself with space to shoot, but his effort was narrowly wide. On the hour mark with his team still behind, Luis Enrique called upon Ousmane Dembélé, Fabián Ruiz and Nuno Mendes to help find an equaliser. The latter worked well with Doué to force his way into the Lens box, but a vital hand from Risser denied the Portuguese international defender. 

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Doué unleashed a thunderous effort from distance as PSG continued to search for an equaliser. However, his effort was just above the crossbar as an air of desperation began to creep into the UEFA Champions League winners’ attempts to find the back of the net. Dembélé also threatened from distance, yet failed to test Risser. PSG believed they had found their equaliser as Doué was played in behind and rolled the ball to Ruiz to find the back of the net, but the offside flag denied them. 

Dembélé was played in again this time by Doué, but he skied his volley over the bar with the clock ticking down. Skoras almost doubled the Lens lead as Sima fed him, but his effort was narrowly wide. Nuno Mendes was then given a red card to level each team to ten apiece. The Portuguese defender elbowed Skoras in the face and was rightly dismissed. Udol then found the back of the net with a diving header, but a foul from Ruiz on Sima saw the play stop for a free kick with the Spanish midfielder given a yellow card. 

Lens managed to hold on in the final minutes to secure the first domestic trophy of the French football season. The Coupe de France winners put in a defensively resolute performance to add to their trophy cabinet. 

Lens player ratings:

Robin Risser, 6

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Kylian Antonio, 3

Sent off in the 38th minute for a challenge on Maghnes Akliouche.

Ismaëlo Ganiou, 8

Despite his team’s disadvantage, the Frenchman showed an ability beyond his years to lead the line and produce some vital defensive contributions as he faced up against some of the best attackers the game has to offer. Additionally, noticing the lack of progression through midfield, he took possession from defence to drive his team up the pitch and create space. 

Maik Nawrocki, 7

Saud Abdulhamid, 7

Michaël Cuisance, 5

Yacine Titraoui, 7

Matthieu Udol, 7

Florian Thauvin, 7

The newly appointed Lens captain was behind everything positive the hosts produced in the final third and that continued with the opening goal of the game when he found himself in the right place at the right time with a tidy finish. His ability to drive play forward and expose space posed PSG problems. 

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Franjo Ivanović, 4

Taken off at the break, it wasn’t the debut that the Croatian striker would have been hoping for. He struggled to find himself involved in the play and squandered the one chance that was presented to him. Toppmöller decided he was the casualty as he brought on an extra defender amidst the man disadvantage.

Replaced by Ruben Aguilar ’45 – 7

Abdallah Sima, 4

PSG player ratings

Matvey Safonov, 4

Achraf Hakimi, 5

Ilya Zabarnyi, 5

Willian Pacho, 5

Lucas Digne, 4

On debut, the former Aston Villa defender struggled to contain Florian Thauvin. Whether it be losing his marker as he inverted or being forced to foul his international teammate 

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Lucas Beraldo, 4

Vitinha, 6

Warren Zaïre-Emery, 5

Maghnes Akliouche, 6

The Frenchman’s second appearance for Les Parisiens went much better than his first when he was hooked at half-time. He was heavily involved in the final third and linked up particularly well with Doué. If it wasn’t for Nawrocki, the former Monaco man could have scored the opening goal of the match.

Désiré Doué, 6

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, 5

GFFN | Liam Wraith