Lens keep title race alive and relegate Nantes thanks to teen debutant Mesloub
LENS, France, May 8 : Teenage substitute Mezian Mesloub scored with his first touch to earn Lens a 1-0 home win over Nantes on Friday, a result which keeps their slim Ligue 1 title hopes alive and relegated Nantes to Ligue 2 after 13 successive seasons in the top flight.
Mesloub was sprung from the bench with 11 minutes left, and the 16-year-old marked his senior debut in style by netting the winner which moves Lens to 67 points, three behind leaders Paris St Germain who have a game in hand.
Nantes' only hope of survival was a win to remain in with a chance of finishing 16th which would earn them a relegation playoff, but they will finish the season second from bottom. They have 23 points, five behind Auxerre with one game left.
Lens' victory, which guarantees them Champions League football, means PSG cannot clinch their 14th league title when they host Brest on Sunday, and Lens will host the leaders on Wednesday before the season finale next weekend.
Hit by injuries, Lens manager Pierre Sage called Mesloub up to the senior squad for the first time, and with time running out, the youngster turned out to be the trump card, despite not even having his name on the back of his jersey.
Lens were on the attack from the off, with Wesley Said earning an early opportunity by holding off his marker, and his low shot was tipped around for a corner by Nantes keeper Anthony Lopes.
For all their pressure and time spent in the opposition's half, Lens struggled to create clear-cut chances in the opening half, and when one did fall to Matthieu Udol, his volleyed effort sailed over the bar.
Udol forced Lopes into a save shortly after the break but Nantes also showed signs of life at the other end with Johann Lepenant's shot kept out by Lens keeper Robin Risser as the game began to open up.
Lens had two goals ruled out in quick succession to the frustration of the home crowd and the visitors wasted a gilt-edged chance from a quick counter, with Matthis Abline blasting a shot off the post when teammate Ignatius Ganago was waiting unmarked in the middle.
Then came Mesloub, sent on to replace Abdallah Sima, he headed straight for the opposition box where he capitalised on a loose ball and sent his low shot past Lopes, with his proud father, former Algerian international Walid Mesloub, watching on from the stands.
