Lens defeated Slavia Prague 3-2 in the first League Stage match of the UEFA Champions League campaign at Fortuna Arena on Wednesday evening. The visitors took control after a tight opening period and held on despite a late home fightback that produced two stoppage-time goals.
Emmanuel Ayaosi gave the hosts the lead in the 35th minute before Danijel Sturm equalised shortly after the break. The match turned when Mikulas Konecny received a red card in the 49th minute, and Sturm restored Lens' advantage five minutes later. Abdallah Sima extended the away lead in the 73rd minute, but Slavia Prague pushed for a comeback that never materialised.
Florian Thauvin and Ruben Aguilar scored in the dying moments of the match, but Lens had already secured the points. The away side made several changes in the second half, bringing on Franjo Ivanovic, Souleymane Sagnan, Michał Skóraś, Amadou Haidara, and others as they managed the game. Ismaëlo Ganiou picked up a yellow card during one of those substitutions.
Slavia Prague dominated possession at 37 per cent but could not convert their opportunities. They registered five shots on target from eleven attempts inside the penalty area, while Lens managed eight shots on target from fourteen attempts. Both sides had similar shooting accuracy at 31 per cent, but the away side created more clear-cut chances.
The result leaves both sides level on points at the bottom of the table after one match. Slavia Prague sit 14th while Lens are 15th, though the standings have yet to reflect any games played. The hosts had won their last two domestic matches before this defeat, while the away side had lost three of their five most recent fixtures.