Football
2014/2015 French Ligue 1
REIM 
0
FT
 RCL
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PA Sport 9y

Lens made to settle for a point

Lens picked up a point to avoid sitting bottom of Ligue 1 but there was frustration on both sides as they played out a goalless draw away to mid-table Reims.
A point should represent a good result for Lens given their struggles this season, but they had their chances to win it against a Reims side showing the effects of going to extra-time and penalties when being dumped out of the cup by Rennes on Thursday evening.
The result leaves Lens second-bottom of the table, with only Metz below them on goal difference after Evian beat Toulouse earlier in the day.
Lens almost made a perfect start with just seven minutes on the clock when Baptiste Guillaume escaped then hosts' defence but he failed to take full advantage of the opportunity and Johnny Placide saved.
Reims were taking their time to get going and it was not until after the 20 minute mark when Remy Riou was called into action, and the Lens stopper passed his test with full marks, saving brilliantly to keep out Gregory Bourillion's powerful half-volley.
Lens responded and went agonisingly close to registering but both Pablo Chavarria and Wylan Cyprien saw efforts from inside the area blocked after Adamo Coulibaly's cross caused panic in the Reims area.
It remained all square and goalless at the break but, much like in the first half, Lens went close again early-on when Chavarria's header from Benjamin Boulenger's cross seemed destined for the back of the net before Placide intervened to push the ball away.
Reims responded and Christophe Glombard's cross came back off the crossbar, much to the relief of the advanced Riou, before Cyprien hacked clear.
Lens were looking the more likely to open the scoring, though, and Pierrick Valdivia, Cyprien and Chavarria all went close as panic ensued in the hosts' area before Coulibaly saw an effort come back of the post.
Firstly, the former Debrecen striker cut in from the left and tested Placide with a powerful effort before pouncing on the rebound and beating the Lens keeper with a second attempt, only to be denied by the upright.
Coulibaly continued to threaten and once again tested Placide as the final 10 minutes approached but, after being played in by Cyprien, his effort from a tight angle was kept out by Reims' busy keeper.
The hosts' almost stole the points deep into stoppage time when Gaetan Courtet met Nicolas De Preville's dangerous delivery but his point-blank effort was well kept out by Riou as both sides were made to settle for a point.

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