Lens French Cup triumph sealed with a 3-1 win over Nice as Florian Thauvin inspired the club to its first-ever title
RC Lens won the French Cup for the first time in club history on Friday after defeating OGC Nice 3-1 in the final at Stade de France, capping a remarkable season for the northern French side.
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Former France international Florian Thauvin played a decisive role in the Lens French Cup triumph, scoring once and creating another goal for Odsonne Edouard as Lens stormed into a commanding 2-0 lead before half-time.
Nice briefly revived hopes of a comeback when teenage forward Djibril Coulibaly scored his first senior goal moments before the interval to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
The second half produced tense moments as Nice struck the woodwork twice while searching for an equaliser, but Lens remained resilient under growing pressure from their opponents.
The decisive moment arrived in the 78th minute when substitute Abdallah Sima poked home Lens’ third goal, sparking jubilant celebrations among supporters inside the near-capacity 80,000-seat stadium.
The victory completed an outstanding campaign for Lens, who had already secured qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League after finishing second in Ligue 1 behind champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Despite previously reaching the French Cup final on three occasions, Lens had never lifted the trophy before Friday’s breakthrough success.
Their last appearance in the final came in 1998, the same year the club secured the only league title in its history.
Most supporters inside the Stade de France backed Lens throughout the contest, creating a vibrant atmosphere as fans sensed the possibility of a historic achievement for the club.
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For Nice, the defeat compounded an already difficult season. The club finished third from bottom in Ligue 1 and must now face AS Saint-Étienne in a two-legged relegation play-off next week to preserve their top-flight status.
Victory Emmanuel is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
