Lens draws 2-2 with Angers to stay 4th in French league

LENS, France (AP) — Lens missed an opportunity to climb into second place in the French league as it drew 2-2 with Angers on Friday to stay fourth.

Defender Romain Thomas rescued the point for Angers by equalizing in the 70th minute when he met a cross from Angelo Fulgini with a downward header.

“There is a mental strength in this team,” Angers coach Gerald Baticle said. “We have this capacity to finish strong and to come back in the last minutes.”

Sofiane Boufal had given Angers the lead in the 40th minute when Azzeddine Ounahi played him clean through on goal and the forward bundled in his second effort after having his initial shot saved.

Lens midfielder Gael Kakuta made it 1-1 in the 48th, meeting a cross from Massadio Haidara to fire a half-volley into the bottom corner. And Florian Sotoca gave Lens the lead in the 55th by volleying home Przemyslaw Frankowski’s cross. Sotoca could have made it 3-1 but headed wide from nine yards just a minute before Angers’ equalizer.

“It’s a point earned,” Lens coach Franck Haise said. “Angers created a lot of problems for us in the first half.”

On Saturday, defending champion Lille looks to snap a five-game winless streak in the French league when it hosts mid-table Nantes, while Nice can consolidate second place with a win over bottom side Metz.

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