French Ligue 1: Lens end losing streak

Lens ended a run of three successive Ligue 1 defeats with a 2-0 victory over Metz which lifts them off the foot of the table.

Antoine Kombouare's side had won only three matches all season heading into Saturday's encounter at Stade Bollaert-Delelis, but second-half goals from Alharbi El Jadeyaoui and Benjamin Bourigeaud sealed a deserved three points.

Metz, however, have lost three on the trot with just four points separating them from the bottom three.

Kombouare had issued a rallying call to his players before this match in a bid to get their season going, and his words appeared to have had the desired effect as Pablo Chavarria struck the crossbar after just 10 minutes.

The match was then held up briefly when firecrackers were thrown on to the pitch, but Lens continued to have the upper hand and Adama Coulibaly released Dimitri Cavare in the area to allow the defender a shot at goal which had to be punched away by Metz goalkeeper Johann Carrasso.

Ludovic Baal followed up on the rebound but smashed the ball wide of the mark.

Carrasso came to the rescue again after 25 minutes, palming away a low volley from El Jadeyaoui, and the visiting keeper pulled off an even better save two minutes later from Pierrick Valdivia's 20-yard bullet.

But Metz finally caved after 65 minutes to El Jadeyaoui, who combined well with Bourigeaud before applying a cool finish from six yards out.

Lens goalkeeper Rudy Riou had had little to do so far, but played a vital role in keeping his side ahead by pushing away a left-footed strike from Sergey Krivets.

And the home side wrapped up the points 11 minutes from time when Baal's excellent cross from the left was headed in by an unmarked Bourigeaud.