League 1
4:00 p.mFebruary 7, 2026
Regular season – 21
Stade Bollaert-Delelis
Referee: Jeremie Pignard, France
slow
Rennes
Turn off the spoiler to see match stats
1.18
Expected Goals (xG)
1.35
-1.00
Prevented goals
-1.00
Passing by
361 (85%)
Accurate passes
327 (85%)
Turn off the spoiler to see the events of the match
50
G
Mathis Silistrie
5.2
24
d
Anthony Rouault
6.2
97
d
Jeremy Jacquet
6.3
48
d
Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal
6.6
11
m
Moussa Tamari
6.5
45
m
Mahdi Camara
6.5
21
m
Valentin Rongier (C)
6.6
17
m
Sebastian Szymanski
6.6
m
Arnaud Nordin
61′ rough
8′ F
Breel Embolo
45′ missingF
Esteban Lepaul
8′
Ligue 1 Classification – Ligue 1
Qualification/Relegation
- Champions League
- Champions League qualification
- UEFA Europa League
- Conference League Standings
- Relegation Playoffs
- descent
Lens triumph over Rennes in a dramatic encounter, securing a 3-1 victory despite a red card in the second half.
Lens produced a resilient performance to defeat Rennes 3-1 at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on 7 February 2026. A convincing second half, punctuated by a critical sending-off, finally turned the Ligue 1 game in the home side’s favour.
Coming into the game, Lens were a strong second in the league table, showing excellent form with four wins in their last five matches. Rennes, meanwhile, sat in sixth, aiming for consistency after a string of mixed results.
The visitors started brightly and stunned 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 first 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 equalized before the break. Odsonne Édouard equalized in the 41st minute, skilfully finishing a move started by Ruben Aguilar. The score was 1-1 as halftime approached.
The referee then issued two more yellow cards just before the whistle. Rennes’ Breel Embolo and Lens’ Mamadou Sangare saw yellow in stoppage time, reflecting the growing intensity.
The teams entered the locker room with everything to play. Lens had recovered from the first setback. Rennes had to regain their early composure and seize every opportunity.
The second half began with Lens showing renewed vigor. Ruben Aguilar completed a remarkable turnaround in the 54th minute, scoring to put Lens 2-1 ahead. Florian Thauvin assisted on the goal.
However, Aguilar’s heroics quickly turned into drama. Just two minutes later, in the 56th minute, he received a second yellow card for aggression, which resulted in a red card. Lens now faced the challenge of playing more than 30 minutes with ten men.
Rennes made tactical changes quickly, bringing in new players to capitalize on their numerical advantage. The lens was also adjusted, making substitutions to bolster their defense and maintain their attacking threat.
Despite being a dejected man, Lens showed incredible resilience. Allan Saint-Maximin secured the victory in the 78th minute. He scored the home team’s third goal, assisted by Robin Risser, to make it 3-1.
The lens showed impressive attack efficiency. They scored three goals with just three shots on goal, out of a total of ten shots, with an xG of 1.18. Rennes, despite having more shots overall (13) and a superior xG (1.35), managed just one shot on target. Lens maintained 52% of the ball.
This important win further strengthens Lens’ challenge at the top of Ligue 1. Rennes will reflect on a frustrating outing, especially if they failed to turn their numerical advantage into a meaningful comeback.
