Lens triumphs over Rennes in a dramatic encounter, securing a 3-1 victory despite a second-half red card.
Lens produced a resilient performance to defeat Rennes 3-1 at Stade Bollaert-Delelis on February 7, 2026. A compelling second half, marked by a critical sending-off, ultimately swung the Ligue 1 match in the home side's favour.
Entering the fixture, Lens occupied a strong second position in the league standings, showcasing excellent form with four wins from their last five matches. Rennes, meanwhile, sat in sixth place, aiming for consistency after a mixed run of results.
The visitors started brightly, stunning the home crowd in the 8th minute. Esteban Lepaul found the back of the net for Rennes, converting an excellent assist from Arnaud Nordin. This early goal put Lens under immediate pressure.
The first half continued with a combative tone, evidenced by a flurry of yellow cards. Lens' Ruben Aguilar received a booking in the 32nd minute, followed by teammate Adrien Thomasson in the 36th.
However, Lens found their rhythm and pulled level before the break. Odsonne Édouard equalized in the 41st minute, skillfully finishing a move initiated by Ruben Aguilar. The score stood at 1-1 as half-time approached.
The referee then issued two more yellow cards just before the whistle. Breel Embolo of Rennes and Mamadou Sangare of Lens both saw yellow in injury time, reflecting the growing intensity.
The teams went into the dressing rooms with everything to play for. Lens had recovered from the early setback. Rennes needed to regain their initial composure and capitalize on any opportunities.
The second half began with Lens showing renewed vigour. Ruben Aguilar completed a remarkable turnaround in the 54th minute, scoring to put Lens 2-1 ahead. Florian Thauvin provided the assist for the goal.
However, Aguilar’s heroics quickly turned to drama. Just two minutes later, in the 56th minute, he received a second yellow card for roughing, resulting in a red card. Lens now faced the challenge of playing over 30 minutes with ten men.
Rennes swiftly made tactical changes, introducing new players to exploit their numerical advantage. Lens also adjusted, making substitutions to shore up their defense and maintain attacking threat.
Despite being a man down, Lens demonstrated incredible resilience. Allan Saint-Maximin sealed the victory in the 78th minute. He struck the third goal for the home side, assisted by Robin Risser, to make it 3-1.
Lens displayed impressive attacking efficiency. They scored three goals from just three shots on target, out of ten total shots, with an xG of 1.18. Rennes, despite having more shots overall (13) and a higher xG (1.35), only managed one shot on target. Lens maintained 52% ball possession.
This significant victory further strengthens Lens’s challenge at the top of Ligue 1. Rennes will reflect on a frustrating outing, particularly failing to convert their numerical advantage into a meaningful comeback.
