France skipper Kylian Mbappé scored twice in two minutes on Sunday night to set up Paris Saint-Germain's victory over relegation-threatened Auxerre and take his side to the brink of a ninth Ligue 1 title in 11 years and a record 11th top flight crown.
Mbappé struck his 27th and 28th Ligue 1 goals of the season in the sixth and eighth minute at the Stade de l'Abbe-Deschamps to silence the vociferous home supporters who were yearning for an upset that would edge them nearer to another season in Ligue 1.
Despite the early advantage, the pacesetters could not add to their tally and were reeled in just after the pause when Lassine Sinayoko halved the deficit.
The visitors withstood the onslaught to hold on for the victory that effectively guarantees them the title.
After 36 games, Christophe Galtier's men boast 84 points, six more than second-placed Lens.
However, PSG enjoy a vastly superior goal difference and even with defeats next Saturday at relegated Strasbourg and at home to Clermont on 3 June, they are unlikely to be overhauled by Lens who ostensibly took proceedings into the 37th round of games after coming from behind to win 3-1 at Lorient on Sunday afternoon.
Character
Romain Faivre gave the hosts the lead in the sixth minute,
But midway through the first-half, Lens seized control with two goals in five minutes from Florian Sotoca and Adrien Thomasson.
Seko Fofana wrapped up the show in the closing stages.
"We had to work hard but we know how to do that," Lens boss Franck Haise told French broadcaster Canal +.
"At 2-1 up I think we were worried too much about the result but the substitutes came on and added some energy and that got us back on track to score the third late in the game," Haise added.
Lens, who have only dropped five points at home this campaign, will claim second place – and automatic qualification for next season's Champions League – with victory over relegated Ajaccio on Saturday night at the State Bollaert.
Glory
Elsewhere in Europe, Manchester City’s players lifted the Premier League trophy in front of their fans at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
City, who reached the Champions League final on Wednesday after a 4-0 whipping of holders Real Madrid, won the title following Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Boss Pep Guardiola fielded a second string team but his City side still beat a limp Chelsea 1-0.
The defeat condemned the west Londoners - victors in 2021 over City in the Champions League final – to a finish in the lower half of the top flight for the first time since 1996.
In Germany, Cote d'Ivoire international Sebastian Haller scored twice as Borussia Dortmund won 3-0 at Augsburg to go top of the Bundesliga.
They lead Bayern Munich – who lost 3-1 on Saturday night at home to RB Leipzig – by two points and will break Bayern's 10-year annexation of the title so long as they match Bayern's result in the final game of the season on Saturday afternoon.
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