03/05/26 05:30:00
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03/05 17:28 CST Lens survives Lyon fightback to reach the French Cup semifinals
on penalties
Lens survives Lyon fightback to reach the French Cup semifinals on penalties
LYON, France (AP) --- Lens continued its impressive season by advancing to the
semifinals of the French Cup with a penalty shootout victory over Lyon on
Thursday.
Lens is second in Ligue 1 --- just four points behind Paris Saint-Germain ---
and survived a fightback by Lyon, having led 2-0 at halftime at Groupama
Stadium to draw 2-2.
Lyon forced the game to penalties with an equalizer from Remi Himbert in the
fourth minute of added time after Lens had gone down to 10 men following Arthur
Masuaku's red card.
Florian Thauvin scored the decisive penalty as Lens won the shootout 5-4 after
Moussa Niakhate had seen an earlier effort saved.
Lens coach Pierre Sage had led Lyon to the French Cup final two years ago and
is within one match of repeating that feat.
Thauvin fired Lens ahead after 23 minutes and Abdallah Sima doubled the lead in
the first minute of first-half added time.
But Masuaku's red in the 64th proved a turning point.
Lyon scored through Roman Yaremchuk three minutes later to give the home team
hope before its late equalizer.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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