RC Lens beat Toulouse FC 4-1 in the Coupe de France semi-final on Tuesday April 21 at Stade Bollaert-Delelis, qualifying for the final on May 22 at Stade de France. Lens goals came from Florian Thauvin (9th pen), Allan Saint-Maximin (18th), Matthieu Udol (34th) and Adrien Thomasson (74th), with Santiago Hidalgo scoring Toulouse's reply (20th). Sang et Or fans invaded the pitch to celebrate this historic qualification.
RC Lens, Ligue 1 runners-up, lived up to their favorite status in the Coupe de France semi-final against Toulouse FC. Four days after a 3-2 league win, Pierre Sage's players took control in the 9th minute. Florian Thauvin converted a penalty earned after a foul by Demba Diop, making it 1-0.
Allan Saint-Maximin doubled the lead in the 18th minute with a clean right-footed strike, assisted by Thauvin. Toulouse pulled one back through Santiago Hidalgo (20th) on a Baidoo error, but Matthieu Udol restored the two-goal cushion before halftime (34th), from an Abdulhamid cross (3-1).
The second half was quieter, but Thauvin's free kick set up Thomasson (74th, 4-1), assisted by Abdulhamid. Thauvin, hailed as a leader by fans, left to ovations in the 79th. Lens supporters, behind a giant tifo, invaded the pitch at full time, singing and waving scarves.
Lens will face Strasbourg or Nice winners in the final on May 22 at Saint-Denis. It marks the Nordistes' fourth Coupe de France final, after 1948, 1975 and 1998.
