FC Nantes bounced back decisively from their crushing defeat against Monaco by overpowering RC Lens with a 3-1 victory at the Stade de la Beaujoire on February 23, 2025. The Canaries, eager to restore their confidence, took advantage of problematic performances from their opponents, who continued to spiral downward with their third consecutive loss.
After suffering the historic 7-1 humiliation at Monaco the previous week, the atmosphere during the home match was tense. The Brigade Loire, the club's dedicated supporter group, expressed their dissatisfaction through various banners, signaling the need for immediate redemption. Nantes supporters were skeptical, but the players delivered when it counted.
Louis Leroux, making his debut as a starter, opened the scoring with a goal at the 36th minute after capitalizing on Mathew Ryan's forced save from Douglas Augusto's header. The young 19-year-old was quick to react, firing off his left foot and putting Nantes on the scoreboard at 1-0.
The first half saw Nantes establish their dominance, as they limited Lens to mere glimpses of opportunities without any shots on target by halftime. The second half began with Nantes appearing closer to doubling their lead, as Ryan continued to make notable saves to keep Lens alive.
After the break, the home side grew increasingly confident, leading to Moses Simon being awarded a penalty following Malang Sarr's handball. Simon converted the penalty to extend Nantes' lead to 2-0 at the 61st minute, sending the home fans roaring.
Despite their struggles, Lens found hope when Neil El Aynaoui scored their first goal from the penalty spot just minutes later, halving the deficit to 2-1 at the 65th minute. Lens seemed to gain momentum, but frustration turned to disaster when M'Bala Nzola was shown red for throwing the ball at the referee after feeling wronged just moments later. This proved to be the turning point for both sides.
With Lens now reduced to ten men, Nantes seized the opportunity as space opened up on the field. Meschack Elia, who had just come on as a substitute, solidified the victory with another goal at the 90+5 minute, finishing off a well-placed cross from Simon.
This resounding win saw Nantes rise to 14th place, providing breathing room from the relegation zone and earning much-needed momentum as the season continues. Meanwhile, RC Lens remains mired at 8th place and faces increasing pressure from their fans as they struggle to realign their earlier-season aspirations of European qualification.
Key players for Nantes included Leroux and Simon, who showed strong performances, proving their worth when the team needed it most. Simon expressed relief after the match stating, “We had no choice other than to win today; we couldn’t afford another humiliation.” The night turned sour for Lens after El Aynaoui’s moment of joy was overshadowed by his team’s inability to produce consistent performance, leading coach Will Still to express disappointment about the red card and yet another failure to secure points.
This match signals newfound hope for Nantes as they work to escape their precarious position, whereas Lens must regroup and uplift their spirits heading back to the drawing board. The response from both teams will undoubtedly shape the upcoming matches as they navigate their distinct paths within Ligue 1.