Jonathan Mensah powers Evian TG to first win

Black Stars defender Jonathan Mensah nodded the match-winner for Evian Thonon Gaillard who pipped Lens 2-1 to manage their first win of the season on Wednesday night.

The 24-year-old scored just after the half-hour mark and defended gallantly at the Parc des Sports.

Bottom-side Evian had lost four of their last five matches in Ligue 1 coming into this game, but their appetite for goals looked insatiable in the first half, and they were two goals up inside the first half hour.

Cédric Barbosa pulled a training-ground free-kick back to the edge of the penalty area and Mensah thrashed the ball toward goal first-time. His initial attempt was blocked but landed kindly, and the big Ghanaian was on hand to thump home past Wylan Cyprien to make it 2-0.

Wednesday night’s game is Mensah’s second Ligue 1 goal after scoring for Evian in a 1-1 draw with Stade Reims in 2013.