Lens score three times in second half comeback to snatch dramatic draw at Brest

BREST, France (AP) — Lens came back from two goals down for the second time in a week as the Ligue 1 title challenger scored three times in the second half to rescue a 3-3 draw at mid-table Brest on Friday.

Lens started the match four points behind league leader Paris Saint-Germain and needed a win to put pressure on the reigning champion.

However, for the second week running it found itself two goals down before halftime. Last week, Lens allowed two early goals against Toulouse but bounced back to win 3-2.

This time it gave itself an even bigger mountain to climb. A seventh-minute opener from Daounda Guindo and a second 17 minutes later from Lucas Tousart — his first of the season — put Brest in the driving seat.

Last week, Lens’ comeback was helped when Toulouse went down to 10 men after 17 minutes but it had no such fortune this week and Junior Dina Ebimbe added a third two minutes before halftime to make a comeback look unlikely.

However, Pierre Sage’s men have shown impressive resilience this season and substitute Florian Thauvin pulled them back into the game on the hour mark.

Abdallah Sima added a second four minutes later and Allan Saint-Maximin completed the comeback in the fourth minute of stoppage time when he curled in a dramatic equalizer.

Lens nevertheless remained three points behind PSG with the Paris club having a match in hand at Angers on Saturday.

Lens and PSG meet in a delayed league showdown on May 13.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer