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Lens edge Angers to keep pressure on PSG
Lens stayed second in Ligue 1 as they won 2-1 at bottom side Angers on Saturday.
Earlier, Ajaccio, who started the day level with Angers, fought back to beat visiting Strasbourg 4-2 with all the goals coming in a crazed first half.
Lens kept up their light pressure on leaders, Paris Saint-Germain, who travel to fourth-placed Lorient on Sunday.
Lens are two points behind PSG after playing a game more. They moved six points clear of Rennes, who visit Lille on Sunday.
Lens continued a recent pattern. They have now won six of their last eight games, five of them by a single goal.
But the Angers goal, scored by Miha Blazic, came so late it was little more than a consolation.
Wesley Said gave Lens a 21st minute lead finishing off a magnificent team move. Facundo Medina gave the visitors a cushion with a second in the 51st minute.
Blazevic headed home a corner from Nabil Bentaleb with three minutes left but Lens took the win.
"If we put the ingredients in every game, we are rewarded," Lens captain Seko Fofana told French broadcaster on Canal+. "We don't look at the table. As long as we take opportunities like this, we will not stop dreaming,"
In Corsica, there were six first-half goals, three penalties and a red card.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Kevin Gameiro had the visitors two goals up after 17 minutes then winger Youcef Belaili and the raucous home crowd took over.
The Algerian, who joined Ajaccio last month, scored his first goal for the club when he whacked a 33rd minute penalty straight into the centre of the goal after a handball by Thomas Delaine.
A minute later Mounaim El Idrissy levelled for the home team.
After Delaine fouled Belaili in the 39th minute, the winger wrong-footed goalie Matz Sels from the penalty spot.
Belaili set up the fourth with a dribble and cross for Riad Nouri to score just before the break
Belaili had a chance of a penalty hat-trick after 63 but missed the target.
The visitors were reduced to 10 when Clement Vidal received a red card with 11 minutes left.
"When 'Youc' is having one of those evenings, it's awesome for everyone," said Ajaccio midfielder Mathieu Coutadeur.
F. Schulze--BTZ
