Le Mans 2-2 Lens: two down at half-time, Lens fight back for a point

Le Mans led 2-0 with the interval in sight and finished with a point instead of three. Adil Bourabaa and Lucas Calodat had put them in control before half-time, but Lens scored twice in the space of nine minutes either side of the break to level it at 2-2.

Four goals, and a complete swing in momentum

Sima's goal right at the end of the first half changed the tone completely, and Lens carried that momentum straight into the second: Ivanović's equaliser came just six minutes after the restart. From two goals down and cruising, Le Mans were suddenly holding on for a point of their own by full time.

Still searching for a first win, both ways

Le Mans remain winless through four matchdays — three draws and a defeat — after starting the season with a 2-2 draw against Brest. It is the kind of pattern that keeps them out of the bottom two on goals scored alone rather than results. Lens, who had won their opening two matches before back-to-back defeats, at least stopped the losing run here, taking a point they were 2-0 down for.

What's next

Neither side moves far in the table from this one. Le Mans go into the international break with 3 points from four games and still to record a win; Lens add a point to reach 4, a small step after two straight league defeats, but built on a fightback rather than a fixed problem going forward.