Lens vs Boulogne

The double substitution of the entire front six at half-time could have disrupted Lens's rhythm, but it did the opposite. Skóraś's introduction transformed the width of Lens's attack. His two quick assists — both driven crosses from the left — caught Boulogne's defence flat-footed and turned a 1-1 stalemate into a 3-1 lead inside two minutes. Boulogne never recovered.

Mesloub (Lens) — The 16-year-old was the story of the match. His brace in the 56th and 57th minutes, both clinically taken, announced his arrival in senior pre-season. Unlikely to start the Ligue 1 campaign, but a name Lens fans will remember.

Michal Skóraś (Lens) — The new recruit from Poland already looks at home. Two assists inside a minute, both from dangerous left-sided deliveries. Exactly the width Toppmöller wants from his 3-4-3 system.

Florian Thauvin (Lens) — Opened the scoring with a poacher's finish and wore the captain's armband in the first half. A steadying influence on a young side.

Florian Sotoca (Lens) — Came on as captain for the second half and scored a trademark header late on. His leadership and movement remain central to this Lens side.

Lens used two entirely different outfield XIs, one per half — a standard pre-season approach that makes traditional stats (possession, shots) unreliable for match analysis. The 4-1 scoreline reflected the gulf in class between the sides, but the 1-1 half-time score was a fairer picture of the first 45 minutes, when Lens fielded a less experienced XI. The decisive factor was the second-half energy lift from Skóraś and Mesloub, who combined for two goals in 120 seconds.

This was Lens's first pre-season friendly under Dino Toppmöller, who replaced Pierre Sage on 1 July 2026. The result is a positive opening note, especially the sharpness of the new signings. Boulogne, preparing for their Ligue 2 campaign, will take encouragement from a competitive first-half display but will need to address the defensive disorganisation that undid them after the break.

Lens face Charleroi on 25 July and Crystal Palace on 28 July in their next pre-season fixtures. Boulogne continue their own friendly schedule ahead of the Ligue 2 season.

A routine pre-season win for Lens, notable mostly for the emergence of 16-year-old Mesloub and the instant impact of new signing Skóraś. Toppmöller's rotation policy worked as intended — the first half built fitness, the second half won the game. Boulogne will be encouraged by the first 55 minutes but alarmed at how quickly the game got away from them.