RC Lens have secured their first trophy of the season and, more importantly, their first-ever Trophée des Champions. On Sunday evening, the Sang et Or (Blood and Gold) defeated Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, in a match during which they played with ten men for over 50 minutes. Florian Thauvin scored the only goal of the game in the 32nd minute. Seven minutes later, Kylian Antonio was sent off, leaving Lens with ten men for the entire second half. PSG, fresh from winning the UEFA Super Cup , were never able to capitalize on this situation.
Florian Thauvin scores in the 32nd minute
Lens didn't just sit back and wait for PSG in their own half during the first period. Dino Toppmöller's men looked to put the Parisians under pressure and finally found the breakthrough after just over half an hour. In the 32nd minute, Florian Thauvin made the difference, beating Matvei Safonov to give the Sang et Or (Blood and Gold) the lead. The new Lens captain's goal sent the Bollaert stadium into a frenzy. But the complexion of the match changed dramatically a few minutes later.
Kylian Antonio was sent off seven minutes after the goal
In the 39th minute, Kylian Antonio received a straight red card for a dangerous tackle. Lens, who had just taken the lead, now had to defend their goal with ten men against eleven. Dino Toppmöller reorganized his team. Ruben Aguilar came on at halftime, replacing Franjo Ivanovic, to bolster Lens' defense. PSG then had the entire second half to get back into the game.
Paris pushes forward but runs into Robin Risser
With their numerical advantage, Paris gradually took control of the ball and launched attack after attack. Chances came thick and fast, but Lens held onto their lead. Robin Risser played a crucial role in this resistance. The Lens goalkeeper made numerous saves and prevented PSG from equalizing. In front of him, the Lens defense repelled Parisian attempts as the clock ticked down. Paris finished the match with 22 shots, without converting a single one. Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz, and their teammates tried until the final minutes to find a breakthrough, but to no avail.
Nuno Mendes was also sent off at the end of the match.
The end of the match became even more tense. In the 87th minute, Nuno Mendes was sent off. PSG then lost their numerical advantage, and both teams finished the match with ten men. Paris still had chances in stoppage time. In the 94th minute, a shot from Ousmane Dembélé was blocked, before a final Parisian corner. Lens held firm. After six minutes of added time, the final whistle blew, sending the Bollaert crowd into raptures: Lens beat PSG 1-0.
RC Lens' first Champions Trophy in history
This victory allows RC Lens to win the Trophée des Champions for the first time. The Sang et Or (Blood and Gold) had only participated in this competition once before. In 1998, after winning the French league title, they were defeated by PSG. 28 years later, Lens takes its revenge on the Parisian club and adds another title to its record.
PSG's comeback after their latest European triumph
For Paris, this defeat comes just days after a much more important match and their victory in the UEFA Super Cup. PSG had won the Trophée des Champions in the previous four editions and were therefore aiming for a fifth consecutive title. This run ended at Bollaert. Despite playing with a numerical advantage for over 50 minutes and creating numerous chances, the Parisians left without a trophy and without having scored. Lens, meanwhile, began the 2026-2027 season with a league title.
