Thauvin shines as Lens keeps top spot in France with win at Nantes, PSG thrashes Rennes

PARIS (AP) — Lens remained atop Ligue 1 after Florian Thauvin proved decisive once again, scoring the opening goal in a 2-1 win at Nantes on Saturday.

Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain stayed one point behind after thrashing Rennes 5-0 at Parc des Princes.

Wesley Saïd scored the winner in the 81st minute as Lens extended its winning streak to five matches. Youssef El-Arabi leveled the scoring for the host.

Lens moved to the top of the standings for the first time in 21 years last weekend after Thauvin's brace in a 2-1 win at Angers. The 2018 World Cup winner is enjoying a revival since his return to the league from Italian side Udinese this summer.

The 32-year-old winger has five goals and two assists in 15 league matches. His performances have earned him a recall from France following a six-year absence.

After suffering its second Ligue 1 loss of the season at Monaco, PSG rebounded in style at Rennes' expense ahead of next week's Champions League trip to Athletic Bilbao.

PSG initially struggled to find space in the five-man Rennes defense and the visitor had the first big chance. Goalkeeper Matveï Safonov kept PSG afloat, stretching to tip Esteban Lepaul’s shot onto the post.

PSG broke the deadlock seconds later on the break with a slick move concluded by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Georgia winger scored twice, adding another in the second half after Senny Mayulu doubled PSG's lead.

Ibrahim Mbaye, who is just 17, made it 4-0 in the 88th minute with the goal of the night — a superb strike from outside the box into the top corner. Gonçalo Ramos capped the win in added time.

In Nantes, Lens dominated early and Thauvin put the visitors ahead in the 34th minute with a header from Ruben Aguilar's excellent cross.

Lens could not hold onto its lead for long, though, as Matthis Abline was fouled in the box, giving El-Arabi the chance to level from the spot. Goalkeeper Robin Risser parried away his effort but the 38-year-old forward scored from the rebound.

Lens pushed hard toward the end and finally broke the stalemate when Saïd cut a cross from Matthieu Udol to bag his sixth league goal.

Marseille lags five points behind Lens in third place after losing to Lille 1-0 on Friday. Fourth-placed Lille tied third-placed Marseille on points in the table.

Brazilian striker Emersonn scored the only goal as Toulouse ended a six-match winless run and prevailed against Strasbourg in their mid-table clash. The win lifted Toulouse to ninth place, two points behind Strasbourg.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

PSG's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris and Rennes in Paris, France, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

PSG's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, center, challenges for the ball with Rennes' Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, left, and Rennes' Przemyslaw Frankowski, right, during the French League One soccer match between Paris and Rennes in Paris, France, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

PSG's Senny Mayulu, center, celebrates after scoring his side' second goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris and Rennes in Paris, France, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

PSG's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris and Rennes in Paris, France, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday was presenting medals to the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees during an event in the Oval Office.

This year's recipients are actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, the rock band Kiss and actor-singer Michael Crawford.

Trump ignored the Kennedy Center and its premier awards program during his first term as president. But the Republican instituted a series of changes since returning to office in January, most notably ousting its board of trustees and replacing them with GOP supporters who voted him in as chairman.

Trump also has criticized the center's programming and its physical appearance, and vowed to overhaul both.

The president will present a new medal that was designed, created and donated by jeweler Tiffany & Co., according to the Kennedy Center. It's a gold disc etched on one side with the Kennedy Center's image and rainbow colors. The honoree's name appears on the reverse side with the date of the ceremony. The medallion hangs from a navy blue ribbon and replaces a large rainbow ribbon decorated with three gold plates that rested on the honoree's shoulders and chest.

Songs by honorees Gaynor and Kiss played in the Rose Garden just outside the Oval Office as members of the White House press corps waited nearby to be admitted.

The president said in August that he was “about 98% involved” in choosing the 2025 honorees when he personally announced them at the Kennedy Center, the first slate chosen under his leadership. The honorees traditionally had been announced by press release.

It was unclear how they were chosen. Before Trump, it fell to a bipartisan selection committee.

Later Saturday, after the Oval Office event, Trump was scheduled to attend an annual State Department dinner for the honorees. In years past, the honorees would receive their medallions at the dinner but Trump has moved the ceremony to the White House.

Meanwhile, the glitzy Kennedy Center Honors program and its series of tribute performances for each recipient is set to be taped on Sunday at the performing arts center for broadcast later in December on CBS and Paramount+. Trump is to attend the program for the first time as president, accompanied by his wife, first lady Melania Trump.

The president said in August that he would host the show, but the White House has not characterized his level of participation. Presidents traditionally attend the program and sit with the honorees in the audience. None has ever served as host.

“I’ve been asked to host. I said, ‘I’m the president of the United States. Are you fools asking me to do that?'” Trump said back then. “And then Susie Wiles said to me, ‘Sir, I’d like you to host.' I said, OK, Susie, I’ll do it,” Trump said, referring to his White House chief of staff.

Trump spent several hours at the Kennedy Center on Friday. He participated in the FIFA World Cup draw for 2026 and accepted its inaugural peace prize. Trump also met in a group with the leaders of Canada and Mexico.

FILE - The Hall of Nations at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, Nov. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, file)

Kiss band member Gene Simmons speaks to members of the media at the White House, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

President Donald Trump speaks before a concert by Andrea Bocelli in the East Room of the White House walking towards the East Room, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)