Abdallah’s Late Strike Secures Vital Victory for Marseille Against Lens

Key Takeaways:

• Marseille earned a 2-1 win at Lens, claiming a third straight away Ligue 1 triumph for the first time since January 2025
• Keyliane Abdallah netted the decisive goal in the closing stages, marking his second of the season
• Lens have now suffered back-to-back Ligue 1 defeats, increasing pressure on head coach Yannick Cahuzac

Match Overview

Marseille secured a 2-1 victory over Lens at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, marking their third consecutive triumph on the road in the league – a feat they had not achieved since January 2025. Lens entered the fixture seeking a reaction after their heavy 9-1 UEFA Champions League loss to Como, but their hopes were dashed almost immediately.

The hosts got off to the worst possible start when Jonathan Gradit’s misplaced pass to Samson Baidoo allowed Amine Gouiri to intercept and finish into an empty net inside 90 seconds, gifting Marseille an early advantage.

⏱️ 90+4’ | #RCLOM 1️⃣-2️⃣

𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐈𝐑𝐄 ✅

Grâce à des buts d’Amine Gouiri et Keyliane Abdallah, l’OM s’impose au caractère face à Lens !!! 💪
𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀 👏

🗓️ Prochain RDV, le 22/11 pour la réception du Mans FC au @CEPACVelodrome 🏟️ https://t.co/qgyHpieCvV

— Olympique de Marseille (@OM_Officiel) November 8, 2026

Lens’ Response and First-Half Analysis

Despite the early setback, Lens responded positively. Florian Thauvin, facing his former club, headed one chance over before finding the equaliser midway through the opening half. Thauvin connected with Florian Sotoca’s delivery, heading home from close range to bring the hosts level.

Marseille created danger sporadically, with Gouiri coming closest by flicking a shot against the crossbar from six yards. Lens, however, looked the more threatening side in the first period, with only a superb Jeffrey de Lange save preventing Yacine Titraoui from giving them the lead after Igor Paixao set him up following another Gradit pass.

Second-Half Developments and Decisive Moment

Following the interval, Lens were first to threaten, as Titraoui curled an effort towards the bottom corner only for De Lange to deny him again. Paixao responded for Marseille but shot high over the target. Both sides struggled to carve out further opportunities as the half progressed.

With Marseille coming into the contest holding the second-most shots in the league prior to this round, their attacking threat was muted until the match’s closing stages. Substitute Keyliane Abdallah, who had last found the net on the opening weekend, scored his second of the campaign – firing home via a deflection from inside the box to restore Marseille’s lead.

Recent Form and Managerial Pressure

This result extends Marseille’s impressive recent run, giving them six wins in their last eight matches across all competitions and maintaining a perfect record from their last five Ligue 1 outings. For Lens, consecutive defeats have halted their previous momentum – they had earlier won three of their past four in the league – and the circumstances surrounding their recent results have increased scrutiny on head coach Yannick Cahuzac.