Teenage striker scores on debut as Lens keep Ligue 1 title hopes alive

LENS, France (AP) — Teenage striker Mezian Soares scored on his debut as Lens beat Nantes 1-0 on Friday to assure its place in next season’s Champions League and keep alive its slim hopes of wresting the Ligue 1 title from Paris Saint-Germain.

Soares, a 16-year-old who has played for Portugal at youth level, came on as a 79th minute substitute and scored with his first kick of the game to crown one of European football’s dream starts.

The win took Lens to three points behind defending champion PSG.

PSG has a game in hand against Brest on Sunday and it is scheduled to play Lens in a postponed league match next Wednesday.

The defeat meant Nantes will go into Ligue 2 for the first time since 2013. The eight-time French champion joins the already-demoted Metz in the second tier next season.

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