Lens beat Paris FC 2:1 in a Ligue 1 matchday shortened due to protests in France

Lens snatched a victory over Paris FC

Paris FC missed the chance to go top of the Ligue 1 table, losing 1:2 away to Lens on Saturday, AFP reports. Florian Thauvin and Thorgan Hazard scored in the last 30 minutes: last season's French Cup winners came back after conceding a goal.

Course of the match

The 22-year-old Lucas Coloscho opened the scoring two minutes into first-half stoppage time: he picked up the ball on the left flank near the Paris FC box, played a one-two with Lassine Sinayoko and struck accurately from the edge of the area. Early in the second half, Lens defender Jean-Clair Todibo was sent off for a foul on Ilan Kebbal, but VAR established that the Paris FC attacker had been offside earlier in the move, and Todibo returned to the pitch. In the 61st minute, 2018 world champion Thauvin shot from 22 meters, and in the 83rd minute Hazard delivered the winning left-footed strike from inside the box after a combination with Thauvin. 'In many matches this season he has pulled us out of difficult situations, and today he again did what only Florian Thauvin can do,' said Hazard, calling Thauvin a good leader and captain.

A matchday shortened due to protests

It was the only Ligue 1 game on Saturday: the match between defending champions PSG and Lyon in Paris was moved to Monday, while the Toulouse vs Troyes fixture was shifted from Saturday to Sunday. Second-division Ligue 2 games have also been rescheduled this weekend at the request of the police,which deployed resources elsewhere amid planned protests in the capital and across the country. Unrest broke out a week ago amid nationwide demonstrations over the rising cost of living; authorities imposed partial curfews in parts of Paris and other cities. Seven matches are scheduled for Sunday, including Monaco vs Lille, Marseille vs Le Havre and Rennes vs Strasbourg, while on Monday PSG will face league leaders Lyon. After Saturday's game, Paris FC remained on 14 points, sharing first place with five other clubs, while Lens trail by one point in sixth.

Significance of the result

The result directly affects the top of the table: Paris FC failed to pull away from the chasing pack, and intrigue remains in the race for first place ahead of the PSG vs Lyon match. For fans and clubs, the rescheduled games change the weekend schedule, and the police decision to postpone matches shows how the protests and partial curfews are affecting even the country's sporting calendar.