Lens (AFP)

Lens put an end to 15 years of famine at Bollaert by defeating Lille (1-0) in the North derby on Saturday, interrupted for half an hour due to incidents caused by Lensois supporters.

Several dozen Artesian supporters have indeed entered the field during half-time to provoke their northern rivals.

After five minutes of confusion and the intervention of CRS to push back the Lensois, the latter returned to their kop.

The intervention of the police allowed a rapid evacuation of the lawn and after the meeting of a crisis cell, the authorities decided that the match could resume but that it would be stopped in the event of a new incident.

The intervention of the police after supporters invaded the lawn of the Bollaert stadium on Saturday, September 18 at half-time for the match between Lens and Lille (1-0) as part of the 6th day of Ligue 1 FRANCOIS LO PRESTI AFP

The second half finally took place and the Polish summer rookie Przemyslaw Frankowski offered prestigious success to RCL and its hot fans by scoring late in the game (74th).

Four days after delivering a good performance when entering the Champions League against Wolfsburg (0-0), the French champion plunges into doubt after this new defeat, the third in six Ligue 1 matches this season , and points to a worrying 13th place with just five points.

- Lens on the podium -

The Sang et Or, still undefeated (3 wins, 3 draws), temporarily seize second place in the championship, with 12 units on the clock.

For this third match in eight days, Lille coach Jocelyn Gourvennec, still deprived of Renato Sanches and Jonathan Bamba, had lined up the same starting eleven as against Wolfsburg.

In an incredible atmosphere, Lens started the meeting with a bang by imposing a lot of pressure on the French champions, cornered during the first 10 minutes.

But little by little, Lille managed to calm the ardor of Blood and Gold players as enthusiastic as their public, by in turn imposing a pressing on their opponents.

Thus the first dangerous situation was in favor of Losc: after a good overflow on the right side, Jonathan Ikoné transplanted to the center but his strike was countered, then the ball returned to Burak Yilmaz, whose attempt was also rejected by an artesian defender (19).

The Lensois, very voluntary, tried to take advantage of the spaces left by the Mastiffs but did not manage to be dangerous until additional time, when Florian Sotoca unleashed a powerful pivot strike pushed back for a corner by Ivo Grbic (45 +1).

- Decisive Leca -

After the incidents during half-time, the second half started half an hour late.

Carried by its supporters, the RCL tried to get the game going but came up against the solid defense of Losc.

Jonathan David (left) and Jean-Louis Leca (right) during the Ligue 1 meeting between Lens and Lille (1-0) on Saturday September 18, 2021 in Lens FRANCOIS LO PRESTI AFP

The Northerners even had the opportunity to open the scoring, but Yilmaz, in an ideal position, did not frame his head (63), then Jean-Louis Leca made a decisive double stop on attempts at close range to Ikoné and Yilmaz (67).

Shortly after, the Bollaert volcano caught fire when Lens opened the scoring: served at the corner of the surface by Gaël Kakuta, Frankowski countered the release of José Fonte before scoring with a cross strike (1-0, 74).

Gael Kakuta (center) and Benjamin André (left) during the Ligue 1 meeting between Lens and Lille (1-0) in Lens on Saturday, September 18, 2021 FRANCOIS LO PRESTI AFP

In the process, Wesley Saïd believed to double the bet by taking a missed shot from Sotoca, but the goal was canceled by the VAR for an offside from Kakuta (79).

Lille did not even manage to revolt and could only witness the explosion of joy from Bollaert at the final whistle.

© 2021 AFP