Lens seal Champions League place as Nantes are relegated

PARIS: Lens booked their place in next season's Champions League with a 1-0 Ligue 1 victory over Nantes on Friday, a result that also confirmed Nantes' relegation to the second tier.

Teenage substitute Mezian Mesloub proved decisive on his Ligue 1 debut, scoring in the 79th minute after collecting a loose ball in the penalty area with his first touch and finishing with his second. The 16-year-old's goal settled a match in which Lens had three efforts disallowed for offside or handball.

The win guarantees Lens a top-three finish in Ligue 1. They are now nine points ahead of fourth-placed Lille with two matches left for both sides. Under the league's format, the top three teams qualify directly for the Champions League league phase, while the team in fourth must go through the qualifying rounds.

The result also means the Ligue 1 title race is still not over. Lens, who are second, remain the only side that can still deny Paris Saint-Germain the championship. PSG lead Lens by three points and also have a game in hand, with the two teams still due to meet.

Lens, whose budget is not even a 10th of Champions League finalists PSG, have also set their sights on more silverware this season. They will face Nice in the French Cup final on May 22.

Mesloub's debut goal sparks celebrations

Lens had to wait until late in the game to make the breakthrough as Nantes resisted for long periods, with goalkeeper Anthony Lopes playing a major role in keeping the home side out. But Mesloub eventually found the winner to send the Stade Bollaert crowd into celebration.

After the final whistle, the sell-out crowd of 38,000 stayed in the stadium for extended festivities. The players were introduced one by one on a spotlit centre-circle as fireworks lit up the occasion.

Lens, champions of France in 1998, had emerged as one of the season's surprise teams and were top of the table at the winter break. Although overhauling PSG remains a difficult task, Friday's result ensured they will be back in Europe's top club competition next season.

Nantes' drop confirmed

For Nantes, the defeat means they are certain to finish in the bottom two and will play in the second division next season. Club great Vahid Halilhodzic was appointed in March as the third coach of their campaign, but he was unable to keep the Canaries in Ligue 1.

PSG will host Brest on Sunday. Lens' victory prevented the Paris club from mathematically securing a fifth straight league title this weekend, although their much stronger goal difference means a win would leave them all but certain to finish top.

Luis Enrique's side have also reached the Champions League final, where they will play Arsenal on May 30 after defeating Bayern Munich 6-5 on aggregate in the semi-finals.