Marseille damaged Lens’ push for the Ligue 1 lead with a 3-1 home victory, ending Lens’ eight-match winning streak. The result leaves Paris Saint-Germain two points clear at the top, as Roberto De Zerbi’s team answered the pressure with an efficient, clinical display.
Lens went into the match knowing PSG had already climbed to first place on Friday. That result raised the stakes at the Orange Velodrome, yet Marseille handled the occasion better, with Amine Gouiri scoring twice and Ethan Nwaneri netting on debut before Lens replied late.
Marseille struck the opening blow after just three minutes. Gouiri battled through several defenders inside the area, then squeezed a low effort on target. The attempt deflected past goalkeeper Robin Risser, leaving
Lens immediately chasing the game in a loud Velodrome atmosphere.
Arsenal loanee Nwaneri then produced a standout moment in the first half. Nwaneri collected possession near the halfway line and drove forward at pace. Nwaneri reached the edge of the box, slipped the ball through a defender’s legs, and guided it into the bottom-left corner.
Gouiri added Marseille’s third goal in the 75th minute to complete a brace. Gouiri reacted quickest to a low delivery from Timothy Weah and finished from close range. Lens substitute Rayan Fofana later struck a consolation, but the visitors could not mount a serious late comeback.
Despite the 3-1 score, underlying numbers showed a tight Ligue 1 contest. Marseille recorded an expected goals figure of 0.88 from 10 attempts. Lens generated 0.91 xG from seven shots, suggesting small margins decided a match with sharp finishing rather than heavy pressure.
Nwaneri’s debut contained more than a goal for Marseille in Ligue 1. The teenager was substituted in the 58th minute after an energetic display. Nwaneri hit the target with both shots, won four of seven duels, and completed three dribbles, the most among players with a 100% dribble success rate.
Marseille’s scoring spread also stood out in this Ligue 1 campaign. Nwaneri became the club’s 19th different scorer in all competitions this season. That figure is joint-highest among teams in Europe’s top five leagues, alongside PSG, Eintracht Frankfurt and Chelsea, and is only below Marseille’s 22 scorers in 2022-23 across the last 80 seasons.
𝑪𝒂 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒕 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒓 as they say in French pic.twitter.com/BzQNo5lzxoOlympique de Marseille 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@OM_English) January 24, 2026
The result keeps Marseille firmly in the Ligue 1 mix while checking Lens’ momentum. PSG now hold a narrow advantage at the summit, but Lens remain close behind, with Nwaneri’s promising start and Gouiri’s sharp finishing adding extra interest to the title race.
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