RC Lens may have found a new gem. Mezian Soares came on Friday night against FC Nantes and had a dream debut in Ligue 1 by securing victory for the Red and Golds with his very first touch.
Unknown to the public just hours ago, the 16-year-old player emerged at the perfect moment to help the northern club prevail in a crucial match in the title race.
Soares entered the game in the 78th minute as his team pushed to break the deadlock against Anthony Lopes’ Nantes. Just a minute later, he lit up the stadium.
Receiving the ball in the box, the Portuguese U17 international unleashed an unstoppable left-footed strike to beat the Canaries’ goalkeeper. A composed finish for a player experiencing his first moments in his professional career.
The young forward celebrated his goal with emotion, surrounded by his teammates, in a scene that will surely be memorable for Lens supporters.
Mezian Soares’ name is familiar to Portuguese football observers. Son of former Algerian international Walid Mesloub, the player has Portuguese roots from his mother’s side and already represents Portugal with the U17 team. He has been considered one of the top prospects at the Lens academy for several months.
With this decisive goal, he has taken a significant step and could soon earn more playing time in the professional group.
With this victory, RC Lens officially secures qualification for the next Champions League and remains three points behind PSG in the title race, although the Parisians have a game in hand.
For Nantes, however, this defeat has dramatic consequences. The club is officially relegated to Ligue 2 after this latest disappointment.
