Lens, along with countrymen PSG, have managed to take a two goal advantage over Greek opposition into to the second leg. The Blood & Golds thoroughly deserved their victory over Panathanikos.The game picked up in the second half after a long and moribund first period proved fruitless. Issam Jemaa grabbed the opener with a well-taken effort shortly after the break. Dimitrios Salpigidis restored parity in the scoreline a few minutes later but Jemaa wasted little time in grabbing his second and restoring the lead of the hosts. Aruna Dindane managed to convert a crucial penalty in the last minute of the game to give Lens a healthy lead going into the second leg.

Going into the game, both sides were mired by injuries although their squad strengths were fairly even. In the opening half of an hour, it was pretty level stuff – the action wasn’t too fast although both sides created chances. Patrick Barul impressed, somewhat, for Panathanikos with a few good efforts although the hero of the half was Lens’ Dindane, who looked a constant threat. However, no matter how hard he tried, Dindane just couldn’t inject a clinical streak into his finishing, so the scoreline was even at the interval.

When proceedings restarted after the interval it did not take long for the home side to take the upperhand. Jemaa didn’t look all too lively in the first period but he was lighting up the Lens frontline with his dynamic attitude – his goal was deserved. However, for all of Jemaa’s and Lens’ dynamism, they were back level with the visitors soon after when Salpigidis fired home. Dindane and Cousin both had opportunities to score for Lens before Jemaa, again, showed Lens how to do it – from here on in, things were fairly comfortable bar a few speculative efforts from Salpigidis and Ivanschitz. Ivanschitz’s night got worse as, after poor finishing, he managed to poleaxe Yohan Demont which allowed Dindane to score from the spot.

So, all in all, it was good stuff from Lens. Their first half performance was slightly limp – especially in attack – yet they improved leaps and bounds in the second period. Should they play like this in the return leg, lens have a great chance of progression to the final 16 – Pana must improve their finishing if they are to stand any chance of progression.