Lens 4-1 Toulouse Highlights, Coupe De France 2025-26 SF: All-Round Performance Earns Les Sang Et Or Place In Final

Good evening, football fans! This is the start of our live blog covering the Coupe de France semi-final between Lens vs Toulouse. Stay tuned for pre-match updates and line-ups as they are released.

• Fixture: Lens vs Toulouse

• Series: Coupe de France 2025-26

• Venue: Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens

• Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2026

• Time: 12:40 AM IST

While RC Lens and Toulouse FC do not share a traditional local derby—separated by nearly 900 kilometers—their fixtures have developed a reputation for high drama, tactical variety, and significant high-stakes outcomes in French football.

The rivalry reached a fever pitch in April 2026, with the two sides meeting twice in less than a week for critical objectives.

On April 17, 2026, Lens pulled off a spectacular 3-2 comeback after trailing 2-0 early in the match. This victory was vital in keeping Lens within one point of league leaders PSG.

In their most recent match on Friday, April 17, 2026, RC Lens secured a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Toulouse FC in Ligue 1. The game, held at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, was a rollercoaster that saw Lens keep their slim title hopes alive by moving within a point of PSG. Toulouse stunned the home crowd with two goals in the first 13 minutes. Cristian Cásseres scored in the 6th minute, followed by a Seny Koumbassa header in the 13th. In the 17th minute, Toulouse midfielder Yann Gboho received a straight red card. Despite playing against 10 men, Lens struggled to break through until late in the second half.

Despite being down to ten men, Toulouse held firm until the hour mark. Lens finally broke through in the 61st minute via Saud Abdulhamid. Five minutes later, Adrien Thomasson leveled the score, capitalising on a rebound.

In the 91st minute, center-back Ismaëlo Ganiou rose unmarked to head home a corner, sealing the 3-2 win and keeping Lens' league title hopes alive.

Kjetil Haug; Seny Koumbassa, Charlie Cresswell, Rasmus Nicolaisen; Djibril Sidibe, Pape Diop, Cristian Casseres, Dayann Methalie; Aron Donnum, Emersonn, Santiago Hidalgo.

Reserves: Guillaume Restes, Julian Vignolo, Warren Kamanzi, Jacen Russell-Rowe, Ilyas Azizi, Gaetan Bakhouche, Alexis Vossah, Mario Sauer.

Robin Risser; Ismaelo Ganiou, Samson Baidoo, Malang Sarr; Saud Abdulhamid, Adrien Thomasson, Mamadou Sangare, Matthieu Udol; Florian Thauvin, Odsonne Edouard, Allan Saint-Maximin.

Reserves: Ruben Aguilar, Andrija Bulatovic, Florian Sotoca, Mathieu Gorgelin, Abdallah Sima, Amadou Haidara, Wesley Said, Arthur Masuaku, Rayan Fofana.

The match is underway. The visitors Toulouse have an opportunity to get off to a perfect start as Sidibe heads the ball down for Donnum in the Lens penalty area. Fortunately for the hosts, the latter is unable to make clean contact on his attempted volley and Lens scramble to clear. What a chance in the opening 20 seconds!

Lens take an early lead. Thauvin nodded the ball down for Thomasson on the left flank. The latter then played the ball back across to Thauvin, who appeared to be hacked to the ground from behind by Diop in the penalty area. Referee reviewed through VAR and pointed to the spot.

Thauvin duly steps up to the spot and lofts the ball past Haug and into the top left-hand corner!! It was an incredibly composed finish by the Frenchman which sends the home fans into ecstacy!! Lens 1-0 Toulouse.

The hosts double their lead through a Saint-Maximin stunner! And their first goalscorer Thauvin is involved again as he picks up the ball on the right flank before moving it inside to the Frenchman. Saint-Maximin is then afforded far too much time to take a touch, get his head up and pick out the bottom right-hand corner from just outside the Toulouse penalty area. What a start for the home side! Lens 2-0 Toulouse!

Toulouse hit back immediately! Lens have absolutely shot themselves in the foot as Baidoo surrenders possession on the edge of his own penalty area. Donnum immediately pounces as he shifts the ball into the box towards Emersonn, who then flicks it to Hidalgo. The latter then calmy rolls the ball into the bottom right-hand corner to pull one back for the visitors!! Lens 2-1 Toulouse!

Some high tempo end to end football and Lens get their third goal of the match, restoring their lead back to two goals. The home side hit back with a stunning move which sees them take a 3-1 lead on 35 minutes. It starts with Thauvin, who lofts a brilliant ball down the right flank towards Thomasson. He then plays it back to Abdulhamid, who's able to skip past Cresswell far too easily before finding Udol at the back post. The latter then has the simple task of tapping it home from close range! What a goal, what a game! Lens 3-1 Toulouse!

Thauvin has contributed in all three goals scored so far.

A fantastic first half performance from Lens sees them 3-1 up at the half time break. All four of Lens' shots have been on target so far, producing three goals. Their attacking players have caused absolute havoc across the Toulouse backline, leaving the visitors in desperate need of the half-time whistle. The speed of their passing in the final third has been phenomenal. Toulouse capitalised on one error from Lens but that was about it. Florian Thauvin had a sensational first half. He scored one, assisted one and was involved in the third. The tie was moving away from the hands of Toulouse.

Lens pickup where they left off in the second half with another brilliant move, which culminates in Thomasson playing Edouard through on goal following a slip from Cresswell. Edouard is able to get his head up as he bears down on goal in the penalty area, but drags his right-footed effort wide, much to the relief of the away side. That could've been game over.

Lens have already had four shots in the second half, while Toulouse have had zero. Three of those shots have also been from inside the visitors' penalty area. It's not been the start to the second half Carles Martinez will have been hoping for at half-time.

The waves of Lens attacks have slowed a little since the round of substitutions, perhaps providing Toulouse with an opportunity to gain a foothold in this game. The away side aren't showing many signs of doing so yet, though, and are struggling to maintain a spell of possession.

Lens seal their place in the Coupe de France final as Thomasson taps home his side's fourth from close range. The chance comes after Thauvin wins his side a free-kick just outside the Toulouse box following a foul by Casseres. Thauvin then steps up to take it as he looks to find the bottom right-hand corner with a left-footed shot. Haug gets down to save it, but parries the ball straight to Abdulhamid, who has the simple task of sliding it across for the Lens captain to finish with his right foot. That's the least they deserve! Lens 4-1 Toulouse!

Lens close down the game successfully and they make their place in the final. It's the least the home side deserve on a night where they completely dominated in all areas, leaving them within touching distance of winning the competition for the first time in their 120-year history. Thauvin got the hosts started after nine minutes when he finished well from the penalty spot, before Saint-Maximin added a second from range on the 18-minute mark. Toulouse struck back immediately, though, when Hidalgo made the most of Baidoo's mistake three minutes later, only for Udol to add a third for Lens on 35 minutes from Abdulhamid's cross. The home side then continued their dominance after the break and rounded off their performance when Thomasson tapped home a fourth on 74 minutes, allowing Lens to reach their first Coupe de France final in 28 years.