Ligue 1 Roundup: Openda scores quickfire hat trick as Lens routs Clermont

CLERMONT, France (AP) — Lois Openda scored a hat trick in a four-minute span to assist Lens transfer into third place within the French league with a 4-0 win over mid-table Clermont on Sunday.

Lens trails second-place Marseille by a degree and is 3 factors away from Monaco.

Openda had not scored in his 11 earlier video games in all competitions, however he rediscovered his contact by slipping the ball by the legs of goalkeeper Mory Diaw within the thirty first minute from a good angle.

Hungry for extra, Openda closed down Clermont midfielder Maxime Gonalons, who misplaced possession to Adrien Thomasson within the thirty fourth. A selfless Thomasson arrange Openda, who doubled the lead with a low strike.

The Belgian striker smelled blood once more within the thirty fifth, intercepting a poor again go from Mateusz Wieteska to spherical Diaw and slot into an empty internet for his twelfth league purpose this season.

Lens substitute Alexis Claude-Maurice sealed the win within the 76th with a purpose arrange by Openda.

It may have been a distinct story if Lens centerback Jonathan Gradit had not made a vital block within the twentieth. Clermont winger Aiman Maurer beat goalkeeper Brice Samba, however Gradit cleared the ball off the road.

The twenty seventh spherical ends later Sunday with Marseille vs. Strasbourg, Monaco vs. Reims, Nantes vs. Nice, Lorient vs. Troyes, Angers vs. Toulouse, and Ajaccio vs. Montpellier.

On Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain edged Brest 2-1 to increase its result in 11 factors.