PARIS (Reuters) – Lois Openda shone as RC Lens boosted their Champions League hopes with a 3-0 home win against Monaco, one of their direct rivals for a spot in Europe’s premium club competition, in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Belgium striker Openda struck twice before the break and set up midfielder Adrien Thomasson for the third goal in the second half to provisionally lift Lens up to second on 66 points with seven games left.
The result left Monaco in fourth place, five points behind, while third-placed Olympique de Marseille, on 64 points, travel to Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday.
Paris St Germain closed in on the title with a 2-1 win at Angers that put them on 75 points on Friday.
At Lens’s Bollaert stadium, the hosts went in front after nine minutes when Openda poked home the ball after his attempted lob was parried into his path by defender Guillermo Maripan.
Seven minutes later, Openda doubled the advantage with a volley under the bar from Deiver Maachado’s cross to stun the visitors.
Sekou Fofana came close to adding a third on the stroke of halftime with a missile that crashed on to the bar.
Thomasson had a goal disallowed in the 49th minute for offside but he was rewarded for his efforts seven minutes later when he latched on to a cross from Openda.
Earlier on Saturday, fifth-placed Lille, who have 56 points, were held 1-1 at strugglers AJ Auxerre.
Bottom side Angers will be relegated to Ligue 2 on Sunday if Stade Brestois beat AC Ajaccio away and Nantes beat Troyes at home.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Clare Fallon)
