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Stalemate-specialists Lens did what they do best by grinding out a useful goalless draw away to Hertha Berlin in the UEFA Cup.
Francis Gillot's charges have registered an incredible 10 draws from 15 matches in Ligue 1 this season, and tonight's well-deserved result leaves them level with Hertha, Sampdoria, and Steaua Bucharest on four points in Group C.
With a little more luck, however, Les Sang et Or could have carved out a winner and it is no exaggeration to say they commanded the match practically from start to finish. Jérôme Leroy and Adama Coulibaly may have missed the trip due to injury, but Lens were rarely put under pressure from their uninspired hosts, and the local fans soon made their feelings known by whistling their team.
Gillot left strikers Daniel Cousin and Olivier Thomert on the bench, yet Brazilian forward Jussie was in hungry form and he had the first real chance of the game with a fierce free-kick after 17 minutes that Hertha goalkeeper Christian Fiedler did well to box clear.
Alou Diarra then fired wide as Lens tried to capitalise on their domination, and Issam Jemaa almost provoked an opener when he surged into the box at the end of the first-half. His neat pass almost found Seydou Keita unmarked in front of goal, but Fiedler was quick to smother the danger.
Lens again looked threatening from set-piece situations after the break, and Pat Barul came within inches of breaking the deadlock when he sent in a thunderous drive from Jussie's cleverly taken free-kick.
The Germans began to drag themselves back into the encounter in the final half an hour, yet they were unable to create any concrete opportunities and it was Jussie once again who almost snatched all three points with a diving header the wrong side of the post in stoppage-time.
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