Lens stayed top of Ligue 1 after a 3-0 victory at Toulouse, extending a winning streak to seven league matches and matching their best run of the 21st century. Toulouse had won the previous two Ligue 1 games, but an early red card changed this contest.
Captain Adrien Thomasson led Lens both technically and mentally. Thomasson scored one goal, supplied an assist for Ismaelo Ganiou in stoppage time, and also produced influential work without the ball, underlining pre-match comments about keeping focus on each game rather than a possible league title.
Toulouse started positively, with Rasmus Nicolaisen forcing a save after 45 seconds, and Emersonn shooting on target in the 11th minute. At that stage, the hosts appeared confident against the league
leaders, pressing high and pushing Lens back before the critical moment of Emersonn’s dismissal.
The match turned in the 22nd minute when Emersonn received a straight red card for a late challenge on Odsonne Edouard near the halfway line. The dismissal forced Toulouse coach Carlos Martinez to adjust shape, and from then, Lens controlled possession and territory with growing calmness and patience.
The breakthrough arrived in the 57th minute after a defensive mistake from Alexis Vossah inside the Toulouse penalty area. Vossah miscontrolled a pass, the ball ran to Wesley Said, and Said curled a precise finish beyond Guillaume Restes into the far corner, giving Lens a deserved lead.
Lens dominated the second half, holding 71% possession and limiting Toulouse to isolated attacks. Thomasson doubled the advantage in the final 10 minutes, reacting fastest to a rebound inside the box. Deep into stoppage time, Thomasson squared for Ganiou, who drove in a powerful shot at the near post.
Underlying data reflected the scoreline. Lens produced 1.53 expected goals from 16 shots, while Toulouse generated 0.66 expected goals from eight attempts, highlighting how the visitors controlled both volume and quality of chances after the red card.
| Team | Goals | Shots | Expected Goals (xG) | Second-half Possession |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lens | 3 | 16 | 1.53 | 71% |
| Toulouse | 0 | 8 | 0.66 | 29% |
Thomasson’s individual numbers supported the captain’s influence. Thomasson won 100% of tackles, with three successful challenges, and came out on top in seven of 16 duels. Thomasson regained possession five times, completed 26 passes in the final third, led that category, and created two chances in addition to scoring.
𝑵𝒐𝒖𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒆, 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔. Avec beaucoup de srieux, le RC Lens s'impose dans la Ville Rose, enchane un e succs en @Ligue1 et termine la phase aller du championnat en tte. Bravo Messieurs ! @ToulouseFC -RC Lens#TFCRCL pic.twitter.com/rxEKkS8FlFRacing Club de Lens (@RCLens) January 2, 2026
This seventh straight Ligue 1 victory equals Lens’ best sequence this century, matching a run achieved in 2022-23 under Franck Haise. By beating a Toulouse side that entered on two successive league wins, Lens finished the first half of the season on top with form and confidence intact.
