Title-chasing Lens headed into the clash knowing that PSG would secure the Ligue 1 silverware if they bettered the Blood and Gold's result against a Lorient side unbeaten in their last three games.
The visitors were without the suspended Kevin Danso, who had been at the heart of the best defence in the league, and his absence was notable from the off culminating in Romain Faivre latching onto a Facundo Medina mistake to round the keeper and curl the ball into the back of the net for 1-0.
Lens had won their last three out of four away games and they quickly got themselves back into this fixture when Sotoca scored his first goal from open play in 26 games thanks to a big deflection off Montassar Talbi that looped over the hapless Yvon Mvogo.
It only took the visitors five minutes to take the lead after drawing level as more poor Lorient defending saw Abdoul Bamo Meite give the ball away inside his own area to the delight of Thomasson, who put it into the back of the net to make it 2-1.
Lorient had to win all over their remaining games if they were to have any chance of playing European football next season and they continued to push for an equaliser in the first half. Their best chance fell to Ibrahima Kone who failed to convert from ten yards out to keep the scoreline 2-1 at the break.
Lorient dominated the opening exchanges of the second half with chances for Kone and Laurent Abergel going narrowly wide of the post.
Lens put in a far more solid defensive display after the interval and it took them until the 75th minute to carve out their best chance which fell to Sotoca, who failed to convert his volley from a few yards out, giving Lorient a lifeline in the game.
The hosts almost capitalised instantly after that huge let-off when Kone jumped highest at a corner to send a point-blank header straight at Brice Samba who somehow kept it out.
The visitors wrapped up the three points with a devastating counter-attack where a sumptuous Alexis Claude Maurice flick put the ball on a plate for Fofana to score his ninth goal of the season and put his side three points behind Paris Saint-Germain with two games remaining.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Seko Fofana (Lens)
