Only Ligue 1 leaders Olympique de Marseille had accumulated more points (16) than Lens’ 15 at home this season (W5, L1), with home advantage playing a part in the first opportunity of the game after five minutes.
However, it was a save Strasbourg goalkeeper Mike Penders would have been expected to make, as he duly gathered Odsonne Edouard’s grass-cutter of a shot with relative ease.
At the opposite end, it didn’t take very long for the visitors to have their first chance of the game, four minutes to be exact, as last season’s top-scorer, Emanuel Emegha, unusually misdirected his header wide.
Nonetheless, despite Strasbourg’s forward line being led by the second-leading marksman this season, Joaquin Panichelli (nine), and Lens’ pair of Wesley Said and Edouard netting 10 goals between them, there were only two other meaningful strikes on goal in the first half, both in the hosts’ favour.
First, Florian Thauvin’s 41st-minute close-range effort was brilliantly saved by Penders before the on-loan Chelsea man produced an arguably better save to keep out Edouard’s fierce strike.
Following a lack of action in front of goal throughout the opening quarter-hour after the restart, suspended Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior gave his instructions from the stands for the introduction of three fresh faces, including the attack-minded Julio Enciso.
However, celebrations were coming from the stands in the 69th minute, but it wasn’t from Rosenior. Instead, they were coming from the majority inside the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, as Ganiou hammered the ball past Panders to give the hosts the lead.
Strasbourg’s underwhelming second-half performance was then compounded in the 77th minute as Valentin Barco was shown a straight red card for a rash challenge on Lens substitute Morgan Guilavogui.
Ironically, substitute Guilavogui received his own marching orders deep into stoppage time after clashing with Panichelli. However, it had no impact on the final result as another win means Lens have lost only one of their previous nine matches (W7, D1), and also keeps Pierre Sage’s side’s dream alive of lifting their first Ligue 1 title in 28 years.
Meanwhile, Strasbourg’s struggle on the road (W2, D1, L4) continues after losing their last three away league matches.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ismaelo Ganiou (Lens)
