Under the Bollaert lights, Thorgan Hazard found the moment he had been chasing since his return to Lens. The Belgian forward struck his first goal of the campaign in the 83rd minute to give RC Lens a 2-1 Ligue 1 victory over Paris FC, a result that strengthened the Sang et Or’s push for Europe.
A late finish settles a European contest
Lens had been made to work against a Paris FC side viewed as a direct rival in the race for continental places. With the match level heading into its closing stages, captain Florian Thauvin delivered from the left and Hazard arrived ahead of the Paris defenders.
- Hazard collected Thauvin’s cross in the 83rd minute.
- The 33-year-old beat Nkambadio with a precise left-footed shot across goal.
- The finish secured a 2-1 win for Lens at Stade Bollaert.
- It was Hazard’s first goal of the season, scored in his seventh appearance in all competitions.
The goal brought obvious relief to a player whose return to his first club had not immediately followed the script he wanted.
Hazard calls goal a major release
Hazard said the breakthrough would lift both him and the squad after a demanding evening against Paris FC.
“It helps mentally, it helps the team and it matters statistically too,” Hazard said. “It was not an easy match. Once again, we showed character. We wanted to extend our league run and respond after losing in the Champions League. We went out and got the result, and it is good for everyone.”
Lens had entered the fixture looking to recover from that European defeat while maintaining their domestic momentum. Hazard’s intervention ensured they did both.
Back where his career began
Hazard joined Lens on a free transfer from Anderlecht during the summer, returning to the club where his career started. The wait for a first goal had weighed on him, but he insisted that persistence had carried him through the early frustration.
“The start of the season has not necessarily been easy,” he said. “I came back to my club, to the place where it all began, and things were not going as expected. But by working every day and refusing to give up, you get there.
“Never giving up is one of my strengths. I am simply happy that it paid off today.”
