Leicester Defeated By Lens In Final Friendly
Kevin Danso's strike and a brace from Angelo Fulgini all came within 10 minutes at the start of the second half in northern France to give Will Still's hosts a victory over the Foxes. Although Patson Daka was withdrawn through injury in the first period, most of the starting XI got at least 60 minutes of action in the tank nine days out from the start of the new campaign. It concludes a pre-season schedule which has involved friendlies against English, German, Italian and now French opposition and allows Steve Cooper to work closely with his new squad back in Seagrave as the opening day looms on the horizon.
Facing a Lens outfit who finished seventh in Ligue 1 last term, placing them in the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League, there was a familiar face in the opposition XI as former City midfielder Papy Mendy lined up for Les Sang et Or. New signings Caleb Okoli and Bobby De Cordova-Reid were in Leicester's starting group too, just a few hours after the loan signing of forward Facundo Buonanotte, from Brighton & Hove Albion, was confirmed on Saturday morning. The squad is taking shape and, while Cooper will naturally have preferred more victories this summer, fitness building is also a key consideration.
Chances were few and far between in the first half at a bouncing Stade Félix Bollaert-Delélis - a host venue for the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 1984 and 2016 instalments of the UEFA European Championships. Lens, in their bright yellow and red kits, were the attacking aggressors from the start, but the Foxes did well to contain the one-time French champions. Mads Hermansen, in goal for City, was rarely tested to start with. Daka, on the other hand, also sent an opportunity over the bar after good work by De Cordova-Reid down the left flank. Wesley Saïd perhaps had the home side's best opening before the interval, curling a smart hit from the edge of the area narrowly over Hermansen's crossbar. Adrien Thomasson also hit the side netting from close range but the scores remained level heading into the break.
Lens, though, would quickly take control of the friendly in the second half. Danso's header gave them the lead just a minute after the restart and it was quickly followed by Fulgini arrowing a shot into the top corner. He was there again to capitalise on a rebound from a solid Hermansen stop to make it 3-0 and end a 10-minute assault on City's goal. Cooper's men tried to get back into it later on, with De Cordova-Reid firing over, before substitute Tom Cannon also hit an attempt straight at home goalkeeper Brice Samba. Rémy Labeau-Lascary's effort came off the bar late on for Lens, but the scoreline would remain 3-0 as the Foxes now return to the UK for a week of training back in north Leicestershire.