The two miners’ clubs came into this clash in opposing situations. Lens have had an excellent first season back in Ligue 1, currently the best of the rest outside of the title race, in a good position to qualify for the Europa League, whereas Saint-Etienne find themselves hovering just above the relegation places.
With Gaël Kakuta, Issiaga Sylla and Ignatius Ganago out injured and Cheick Doucouré suspended, Franck Haise was forced into making changes to the team that drew against Angers, as Tony Mauricio, Yannick Cahuzac and Arnaud Kalimuendo came into the side in their usual 3-4-1-2 formation.
Claude Puel made five changes to the team that lost against Lorient. Out went Miguel Trauco, Yvan Neyou, Zaydou Youssouf, Denis Bouanga and Anthony Modeste, replaced by former Lens youth-teamer Timothée Kolodziejczak, Lucas Gourna-Douath, Adil Aouchiche, Kévin Monnet-Paquet and Charles Abi in a 4-5-1 shape.
Saint-Etienne would attempt to press Lens’ centre-backs but they didn’t really have the right structure to do so, rarely providing enough support to Abi to cover the three men. As a result, Lens found themselves able to play around this pressure easily, forcing Saint-Etienne into dropping off.
Despite fielding a five man midfield, the Stéphanois found themselves a bit lacking in defensive width. This wasn’t so bad on their left as Monnet-Paquet would keep a close eye on Jonathan Clauss, however on the right Arnaud Nordin stayed very narrow. This allowed Massadio Haïdara to venture forward untracked, with Mathieu Debuchy constantly forced wide to meet him.
It was on the counter-attack that Lens got their opening goal though. Kalimuendo had already looked to threaten Saint-Etienne several times with runs in behind onto quick passes forward and, when Gourna-Douath misplaced his backwards header, the teenage striker was first to it. Harold Moukoudi was racing back to recover, however Kalimuendo got his body between the ball and the defender, so the centre-back’s poor attempt at a tackle – stepping in with his near foot rather than giving himself more reach with the rear – brought down the Paris Saint-Germain loanee. Florian Sotoca stepped up to finish the resulting penalty.
Kalimuendo then got a goal of his own minutes later. The tireless pressure of Sotoca forced the ball out for a throw-in deep in Saint-Etienne’s half and Clauss won it back from the throw, poking it to Seko Fofana, who span on the ball and slid a pass into Kalimuendo. The young striker took a touch then quickly fired at goal.
Although not quite as quick as Angers, it was this time Lens who benefited from an early lead. They switched to a 3-5-2 formation, moving Mauricio back into the midfield to provide greater defensive solidity.
Saint-Etienne found it hard to respond. They would push up Monnet-Paquet and Nordin alongside Abi to form a rather static frontline, while Gourna-Douath would drop back between the centre-backs. With the two other midfielders stuck in between a compact block of Lens players and the full-backs remaining relatively deep, they found it difficult to progress the ball. Although, as Lens’ wing-backs had to cover so much ground to reach the full-backs, they had space to pick out direct passes into the forwards.
These passes were more useful as a way of getting Saint-Etienne up the pitch rather than actually as attacks, as Lens were in a good position to defend but Saint-Etienne could potentially win the second balls, claiming possession in Lens’ half. Still, a more reliable way of progressing was to force Lens over to one side then switch play out to the other and push forward as Lens shifted across.
Saint-Etienne weren’t carving out good opportunities but they were managing to get hold of the game, keeping the ball in Lens’ half. Nevertheless they did pull a goal back before half-time, as the massive Moukoudi headed home a corner.
With control of the match slipping away from them, Lens reverted back to a 3-4-1-2, lining up better against Saint-Etienne’s shape to press. This enabled them to interrupt Saint-Etienne’s build-up and cut out the building pressure.
They also committed men forward on counter-attacks, breaking at speed to catch out Saint-Etienne and discourage them from pushing men forward. This is how they finally sealed their win, with youth teamer David Costa getting his first goal for the club in injury time.
Saint-Etienne replied immediately with a dubious penalty after Mahdi Camara’s cross hit Facundo Medina’s arm with the Argentine facing in the other direction, but it was too late for the home side to mount a comeback.
It was an entertaining match between two committed teams fighting it out for the points, creating an intense, testy game.
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[…] The 3-2 loss at home to high-flying Lens was more dramatic. It was Saint-Etienne's first defeat at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard since the 5-0 reverse in the derby against Lyon. The hosts were two goals down before the half-hour mark against the side aiming for a European spot in their return to Ligue 1. […]