Yannick Cahuzac's first match in charge of Lens ended in a 2-1 defeat at Monaco on Friday night, a result that, given the circumstances surrounding his sudden appointment, offered a measure of encouragement despite the loss.
Cahuzac, just three days into the job, watched from the touchline at the Stade Louis II as his side fell behind before half-time. Monaco, who had the ball in the net three additional times only for the offside flag to intervene, led 1-0 at the break. But Cahuzac made adjustments during the interval, and Lens responded well after the restart, with Matthieu Udol heading home an equalizer. Franjo Ivanovic and Thorgan Hazard both had opportunities to give the visitors the lead as they pressed for a winner. Instead, it was Lens defender Jonathan Gradit who turned the game on its head, inadvertently diverting the ball into his own net to hand Monaco the win.
The defeat capped an extraordinary week for the Ligue 1 club, who parted ways with manager Dino Toppmöller by mutual consent after just six matches — the shortest tenure of any Lens manager since the Second World War. Toppmöller had taken over from Pierre Sage, who left for Crystal Palace after leading Lens to a historic Coupe de France win and a runner-up finish in Ligue 1 last season. Given the modest goal set by sporting director Jean-Louis Leca — an eighth-place finish, since Lens are