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Lens Takes Top Defensive Spot From PSG After Monaco Loss
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- Lens Takes Top Defensive Spot From PSG After Monaco Loss
(REUTERS)
In addition to being poorly prepared for Chelsea 's visit to the Champions League, PSG saw Lens pull within 1 point of them at the end of the 25th round of Ligue 1. Pierre Sage's men also snatched two symbolic standings from Luis Enrique's squad this weekend.
Against a Monaco team it now knows very well, and one it feared before the match, PSG lost 1-3 Friday night to open the 25th round. Lens did not let the opportunity slip away, winning 3-0 on Sunday against Metz , the last-place team in Ligue 1. Abdulhamid (44th), Thauvin (46th), and Haidara (52nd) scored just before and after halftime to give three precious points to Lens.
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As of Monday morning, following the 25th round, PSG indeed has only a one-point lead over Lens, down from four last week. The title race, therefore, remains more undecided than ever, as Lens will host PSG in the 29th round, a match scheduled for Saturday, April 11, which falls between the two Champions League quarterfinals (in which PSG will participate if it eliminates Chelsea in the round of 16).
In addition to pulling within one point of PSG, Lens has moved ahead of Luis Enrique's team in the standings. Lens is now indeed the best home team in Ligue 1 this season, with 33 points, compared to 31 for PSG, but the Blood and Gold have played one more home game than the Red and Blue.
Lens also moved to the best defense in Ligue 1 this weekend, with only 21 goals conceded in 25 rounds, compared to 22 for PSG after PSG allowed three goals against Monaco last Friday. In terms of goal difference, PSG, however, remains ahead with +32, compared to +27 for Lens.
Among other things to note from the 25th round of Ligue 1, OM painfully won 1-0 at Toulouse Saturday night and moves back to 3rd place in Ligue 1 because Lyon was held in check by Paris FC Sunday night (1-1), with an equalizer from Corentin Tolisso on a penalty in added time. The two Olympic clubs are 11 points behind PSG, but Marseille has a better goal differential than Lyon.
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Ligue 1 standings after the 25th round:
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PSG: 57 points (+32)
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Lens: 56 points (+27)
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Marseille: 46 points (+19)
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Lyon: 46 points (+13)
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Rennes : 43 points (+7)
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Lille : 41 points (+6)
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Monaco: 40 points (+6)
During the 26th round of Ligue 1, Lens (2nd) will travel to Lorient (10th) this Saturday at 5 p.m., while OM (3rd) will kick off the round as early as Friday night against Auxerre (16th). There will also be an interesting match between Rennes (6th) and Lille (5th) on Sunday night to close the round, while Lyon (4th) will travel to Le Havre on Sunday (14th).
PSG (1st) will face Nantes (17th) during this 26th round, but not this weekend, as the match has been postponed to the week of April 20 to allow Luis Enrique's men to best prepare for their Champions League round of 16 second leg against Chelsea on Tuesday, March 17.
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