RC Lens staged a remarkable second-half rescue to claw back from three goals down and secure a 3-3 draw against Stade Brestois, extending the Pirates’ winless run to five matches (D2, L3).
Fresh off their Coupe de France semi-final success in midweek, Lens arrived in Brest knowing they needed a strong Ligue 1 response to keep their faint title ambitions alive.
But their evening began poorly. Abdallah Sima wasted an early opening before the hosts struck in the seventh minute, when Daouda Guindo unleashed a superb 25-yard effort that flew into the bottom corner for his first goal of the season.
Lens, who had won 14 of their previous 15 league matches against bottom-half sides, tried to respond through Adrien Thomasson, but his effort flew narrowly wide.
Brest doubled their advantage before the half-hour mark. Guindo turned provider this time, delivering a precise cross for Lucas Tousart to head home, punishing Lens’ defensive lapses.
Sima continued to squander chances for Les Sang et Or, and Brest capitalised again just before half-time.
Ludovic Ajorque set up Éric Junior Dina Ebimbe, who finished clinically from the edge of the box to make it 3-0 and leave the visitors stunned.
In response, Pierre Sage reshuffled his side with four changes early in the second half, including the introduction of Florian Thauvin.
The impact was immediate. Thauvin pounced on a Soumaïla Coulibaly error and finished emphatically to spark hopes of a comeback.
Momentum shifted quickly, and Lens struck again just four minutes later. Saud Abdulhamid delivered a dangerous cross, which Sima met with a superb volley to reduce the deficit to one goal.
From there, Lens threw everything forward. Mamadou Sangaré was denied by Grégoire Coudert, while Allan Saint-Maximin and Odsonne Édouard both struck the woodwork as Brest clung on under heavy pressure.
Just when it seemed the hosts would survive, Saint-Maximin delivered a moment of brilliance in stoppage time.
Picking up a pass from Sangaré, he curled a stunning effort into the far corner in the 94th minute to complete an extraordinary comeback.
The draw leaves Lens still within three points of Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain, though they have played a game more, while Brest’s winless run stretches further.
