Paris Saint-Germain, without World Cup winners Lionel Messi and Neymar, lost for the first time in any competition since March 20 last year when they were beaten 3-1 at Lens on Sunday.
“Lens deserved to win,” PSG coach Christophe Galtier said.
Lois Openda scored one and set up another as Lens, who have lost just once in Ligue 1 this season, closed the gap on PSG at the top to four points after 17 rounds.
“We are happy to be four points,” said Lens coach Franck Haise. “This win proves that we can beat anyone in this championship.”
PSG’s last defeat came more than nine months ago when they collapsed 3-0 at Monaco in Ligue 1, despite remaining 12 points clear at the top of the table.
On Sunday in Lens, PSG were without Messi and suspended Brazilian Neymar, but Kylian Mbappe, winner of the Golden Boot in Qatar, received a warm welcome from the Lens fans as he warmed up.
Galtier said he expected French fans to give him the same reception as Messi.
“He will join us on January 3, in 48 hours,” Galtier said. “I hope Leo is well received. He won the best trophy very well. We know he is a good and decisive player, so we expect him to be well received.
“Kylian worked already,” said Galtier. “He showed a great attitude.”
“Leo and ‘Ney’ aren’t there but there’s no reason.”
Lens took the lead after five minutes when PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma blocked an effort from Massadio Haidara to Przemyslaw Frankowski who scored.
Hugo Ekitike responded three minutes later, swinging powerfully as Brice Samba dived to collect a cross and drive the ball past the Lens keeper’s grasp.
Lens took control after 28 minutes. Seko Fofana won possession in the corner of his own box, drove past a few challenges and then measured a pass between PSG’s central defenders for Openda. Belgium sprinted clear, and squeezed a shot at Donnarumma.
Lens pressed from the start of the second half and in the 48th minute won possession deep in the PSG half.
The ball reached Openda in the box, the backheel left the defense flat-footed and allowed Alexis Claude Maurice to take a touch and score from close range.
– ‘Celebration Week’-
The French league usually breaks off the holiday season but with matches coming up after the World Cup, the league plays one round after Christmas and the other on Sunday and Monday.
The game was dubbed ‘Celebration Sunday’, in English, as is the norm in English tradition of Boxing Day games, but many fans were suspicious or hostile.
Among the protest banners unfurled by fans in an almost empty stadium in Nantes, where the home team beat Auxerre 1-0, some complained that the league and broadcasters were “killing”.
In Monaco, Aleksandr Golovin scored the only goal from outside the penalty area as the home side did just enough to beat Brest 1-0 and tighten their grip on fourth place.
Angers remain anchored at the bottom after suffering their ninth straight defeat, going down 2-1 to visiting Lorient who are on a six game winless run.
Morocco’s World Cup stars in the home team Sofiane Boufal and Azzedine Ounahi, who have just returned from holiday and are rumored to have been promised lucrative transfers, were honored before the match but did not feature.
“I’m happy to see Sofiane and Azzedine,” Angers coach Abdel Bouhazama said. “Now he is here. For the rest, I leave it to the club director. I take care of what happens on the field.