Lille were chasing a response after failing to win any of their previous four matches in all competitions, yet it was the visitors who had the first chance early on, though Thorgan Hazard could only fire straight at Lille goalkeeper Berke Ozer.
That early scare prompted a response from the hosts, who went close shortly after as Ethan Mbappe’s curling effort from the edge of the area flashed wide of the far post.
Davide Ancelotti’s side continued to press for a breakthrough, with Soriba Diaoune’s close-range header forcing Robin Risser into a smart save, before the young Lille forward cannoned an effort against the crossbar after a corner had dropped to him on the edge of the box.
Lens responded by pushing forward, with Saud Abdulhamid forcing a save from Ozer at his near post, with the Lille goalkeeper keeping it out with his legs to ensure the first half ended goalless.
Les Dogues were quick out of the blocks after the break too, as a quickly taken free-kick by Nabil Bentaleb released Mbappe, whose effort was kept out by Risser.
Then, following a Lille corner, Florian Thauvin broke clear on the counter, but as he bore down on goal, a heavy touch allowed Ozer to come out and clear away the danger.
Undeterred, Lille continued to search for an opener, and Mbappe’s ball down the right found Hakon Arnar Haraldsson, whose effort inside the area on the volley was beaten away by Risser.
When Lens defender Kyllian Antonio intervened to ensure Giroud was unable to make a proper connection with Calvin Verdonk’s ball into the box, it looked as though it wouldn’t be Lille’s night.
However, the hosts eventually broke the deadlock as Bentaleb’s long-range effort was palmed into the path of Giroud, who beat Risser with a bouncing strike on the rebound to score for a second successive league game.
His strike secured Lille just a third win from their last eight Ligue 1 home matches and keeps them on PSG's tail at the summit, while Lens saw a three-game winning run in the league come to an end and sit five points further back.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Robin Risser (Lens)
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