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Super Eagles winger Moses Simon was on target as Nantes ended their two-game winless streak with a 3-1 victory over Lens on Sunday, easing their relegation fears with a much-needed three points, Footynaija.com reports.
The Canaris were desperate for a response after a humiliating 7-1 defeat to Monaco in their last outing and had won just once in their last eight matches across all competitions.
Lens, too, arrived at the Stade de la Beaujoire looking to recover from back-to-back losses against PSG and Nice.
Buoyed by their home supporters, Nantes started brightly and took the lead in the 36th minute through Louis Leroux, who finished confidently with his left foot. The hosts protected their advantage until the break, but Lens emerged stronger in the second half, pressing for an equalizer.
However, Nantes doubled their lead against the run of play when a VAR check awarded them a penalty. Simon stepped up and calmly dispatched the spot-kick, registering his sixth Ligue 1 goal of the campaign.
Moses Simon scored from the spot in Nantes 3-1 win against Hamzat Ojediran’s Lens.
— Ojora Babatunde (@ojbsports) February 23, 2025
It’s 13 G/A in Ligue 1 this season for the winger. pic.twitter.com/NyqOvqtqxW
Lens were given a lifeline minutes later when they were awarded a penalty of their own, which Neil El Aynaoui converted. But any hopes of a comeback were dashed when M’bala Nzola received a red card, leaving the visitors with ten men.
Nantes capitalized on their numerical advantage, restricting Lens’ attacking efforts before Meschack Elia sealed the win with a goal deep into stoppage time.
Simon was instrumental throughout the contest, completing 90% of his passes, delivering four crosses, creating two big chances, and completing four successful dribbles. The Nigerian international has been in excellent form this season, tallying six goals and seven assists in 22 appearances across all competitions.
The victory lifts Nantes to 14th place with 24 points from 23 matches, five clear of the relegation zone.
Simon and his teammates now turn their attention to a tricky away fixture against Marseille, as the winger also eyes Nigeria’s upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March.
