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Lens beat Nice to win French Cup for first time | The Express Tribune
They had never previously won the French Cup despite reaching the final three times
PARIS:
Lens won the French Cup for the first time in their history with a 3-1 victory over Nice in the final at the Stade de France on Friday.
Florian Thauvin, a member of the France squad that won the World Cup in 2018, scored one goal and set up another for Odsonne Edouard as Lens found themselves 2-0 ahead late in the first half.
Teenager Djibril Coulibaly pulled one back for Nice with his first senior goal just before the interval and they hit the woodwork twice in the second half.
But Lens made sure of the win through substitute Abdallah Sima, who poked home in the 78th minute to spark joyous celebrations.
The triumph caps a superb campaign for the club from northern France, who under new coach Pierre Sage finished second in Ligue 1 to a dominant Paris Saint-Germain and qualified for next season’s Champions League as a result.
Lens had never previously won the French Cup despite reaching the final three times, most recently in 1998 — that year they won the league title for the only time in their history.
“It is historic, extraordinary,” star performer Thauvin told broadcaster France 2.
“It has really been a remarkable season and we were all eager to make history for the club.”
The vast majority of the near-capacity crowd inside the 80,000-seat Stade de France were supporting Lens, with many disillusioned Nice fans not attending.
Defeat for Nice adds to their misery in a difficult season which is not yet over — they finished third-bottom in Ligue 1 and must therefore win a two-legged play-off next week against second-tier Saint-Etienne in order to secure their top-flight status.
The 33-year-old Thauvin narrowly missed out on a place in the France squad for the upcoming World Cup but he seemed determined to put that disapppointment behind him as the ex-Newcastle United forward fired in a fine opener on 25 minutes.
He then set up the second with a corner that was headed home by former Celtic striker Edouard — both players end the season with 14 goals.
Coulibaly headed Nice back into the game but Antoine Mendy’s effort which hit the bar shortly after the break proved a turning point.
Instead of drawing level, Nice ended up falling further behind when Senegalese forward Sima got on the end of a header back towards his own goal by veteran Brazilian defender Dante, and stabbed in.
Lens are the fifth different winners of the French Cup in the last eight editions, with Rennes, Nantes and Toulouse also lifting the trophy in that time, as well as PSG.
The club were due to continue the celebrations long into the night, travelling back to their Stade Bollaert to greet supporters gathered there before an open-top bus tour scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
US airports ramp up Ebola screenings amid Africa outbreak
Health officials at U.S. airports are implementing enhanced Ebola screenings for travelers arriving from Congo, Uganda and South Sudan. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is working with airlines to identify possible exposures following over 130 deaths and nearly 600 suspected cases in Africa. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has criticized the response efforts of the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO).
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Congo is dealing with an outbreak of Ebola, and executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup Andrew Giuliani said the Congolese national soccer team must isolate if they want to enter the United States for the global tournament.
The U.S. has told FIFA, the Congolese government and national soccer team, that they must isolate for 21 days in order to enter the country for the World Cup. The team is currently training in Belgium and is scheduled to play two warmup games there.
“We’ve been very clear to Congo that they should maintain the integrity of their bubble for 21 days before they can then come to Houston on June 11,” Giuliani told ESPN. “We’ve made it very clear to the Congo government as well that they need to maintain that bubble or they risk not being able to travel to the United States. We cannot be any clearer.”
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Meschack Elia of Congo reacts during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off final match between Congo DR and Jamaica at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, Mexico, on March 31, 2026. (Agustin Cuevas/Getty Images)
“We want to make sure that there is nothing that’s going to come in or near our borders here on this,” he said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been monitoring two American doctors who were in quarantine in Europe after being exposed to Ebola, Giuliani said. He said they have discussed sending staff to Belgium to check on the Congo team.
In Congo last week, they had a confirmed outbreak of Bundibugyo, a rare type of Ebola. It is thought to have killed more than 130 people, with nearly 600 suspected cases.
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Lens’ DR Congo defender Arthur Masuaku and Malian midfielder Amadou Haidara attend a training session at Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis on May 21, 2026, ahead of the French Cup final against Nice on May 22, 2026. (Franck Fife/AFP)
“If there are other people that are going to be coming in, they need to have a separate bubble from that team. If they end up coming, and any of those people end up symptomatic, they are risking the entire team being able to come and compete in this World Cup,” Giuliani said.
The CDC announced this week that all foreign nationals who had been in Congo, Uganda and South Sudan within the past three weeks would be banned from entry into the United States for 30 days.
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Renaldo Cephas of Jamaica and Brian Cipenga of Congo compete for the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026 play-off final at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, Mexico, on March 31, 2026. (Agustin Cuevas/Getty Images)
The Congo canceled a planned farewell by the team to fans and a three-day World Cup preparation training camp on Wednesday.
Congo is in Group K and is scheduled to play Portugal in their opening game in Houston on June 17. Their next two games are against Colombia in Guadalajara, Mexico, on June 23, and Uzbekistan in Atlanta on June 27.
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Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch died Thursday from complications related to “severe pneumonia [that] progressed into sepsis,” according to a family statement obtained by FOX Sports on Saturday.
“The medical evaluation provided to the Busch Family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications,” the statement, according to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, read.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
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KARACHI: More than 1,500 runners participated in the Lifebuoy Global One Run Half Marathon in Karachi, as athletes and fitness enthusiasts competed in multiple race categories while participants from across Pakistan joined virtual runs.
The event, organised by Sports in Pakistan, featured races in the half marathon (21 kilometers), 10-kilometer and 5-kilometer categories, attracting runners from different age groups in one of the city’s major community fitness events.
In the men’s half marathon, Israr Khattak finished first with a time of 1 hour, 16 minutes and 17 seconds, followed by Muhammad Sajjad in second place at 1:19:27 and Khursheed Ahmed in third at 1:19:52.
Mumtaz Niamat Khan won the women’s half marathon in 1:51:52, while Sidra Dagha finished second in 1:57:36 and Mahnoor Fatima placed third in 1:58:13.
Raza Muhammad claimed first place in the men’s 10-kilometer race with a winning time of 38:33. Amjad Ali finished second in 41:48, while Farhan Sahab secured third in 42:38.
In the women’s 10-kilometer race, Mahnoor Fatima finished first in 51:26, followed by Leena Abid in 56:37 and Hafsa Khan in 1:04:03.
Farman Khan won the boys’ 5-kilometer race in 18:20, while Saqib Ali finished second in 19:10 and Taj Khan came third in 22:58.
In the girls’ 5-kilometer category, Kainat Khalil secured first place in 22:49. Zaahra Ali finished second in 26:09, while Saeedullah Baloch took third in 28:26.
Race director Shoaib Nizami said the turnout reflected growing interest in running and fitness in Pakistan.
“We are extremely happy to witness such an incredible turnout for the Lifebuoy Global One Run in Karachi, while runners from across Pakistan also joined virtually,” Nizami said. “It is encouraging to see more people embracing running and fitness. Sports in Pakistan will continue to bring more running events for Pakistanis and further promote a healthy lifestyle through sport.”
The event also included virtual participation from runners in different parts of the country, highlighting the growing popularity of endurance sports and community fitness activities in Pakistan.
Congo team must isolate to enter United States for World Cup amid Ebola outbreak
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