Solid leader of Ligue 1 before challenging RC Lens for the 10th day, Paris Saint-Germain had the opportunity to achieve a very good accounting operation after AS Monaco’s defeat against Angers on Friday evening. Organized in 4-3-3 with the tenure of Safonov and Ruiz, Luis Enrique’s men did not take long to break the barrier of the Lens defense. Avoiding Gradit’s tackle, Barcola offered himself a solitary rush before serving Dembélé, alone to resume with his right foot at the far post (1-0, 4th). Feeling confident, the Rouge et Bleu did not give up and narrowly missed the break. First on a first-intention strike from Ruiz, served behind by Hakimi, before Dembélé found the left post of Samba (15th).
In great pain against the Parisian waves and incapable of being truly dangerous near the Ile-de-France area, Will Still’s RC Lens, aligned in 3-4-3, also lost Sotoca to injury (17th). Despite this nightmarish start to the match and a new strike from Ruiz captured by the last artesian rampart (30th), the visitors grew bolder as the minutes passed and took advantage of the clumsiness of the reigning French champions in the final meters. If Machado put Safonov to work for the first time by slamming a smashed header between Hakimi and Marquinhos (32nd), Samba pulled out all the stops against Asensio to keep his team alive (35th).
PSG is already taking off at the top of the rankings
After a slight concern regarding Dembélé, victim of a bad shot, the Parisians created two new chances just before the break but Asensio saw his first attempt end in the Lensois net (42nd) before stumbling on Samba who was still imperial (43rd) . Too messy in the last gesture, like a new two against one poorly managed by Barcola (45+4th), PSG nevertheless took the lead at the break. Returning from the locker room, the debates were largely balanced but neither team managed to find real situations. A shock which would finally experience a new turning point on the hour mark. Guilty of a dangerous tackle on Hakimi’s right shin, Khusanov was finally sent off by Willy Delajod after intervention by the VAR (59th).
Outnumbered and very nervous, the Lensois continued to play their all, like Ojediran, very close to equalizing after a shot blocked by Marquinhos (68th). Under pressure, PSG went on the attack again but Barcola, author of a beautiful curling shot, again fell on a Samba of the great evenings (72nd). Entering the game a few minutes earlier, Doué passed very close to the break but his attempt narrowly escaped the Lensois target (76th). No matter (or not?), the capital club did not give in and validated a new success. With this victory (1-0), Paris Saint-Germain consolidates its first place and takes six steps ahead of AS Monaco. Lens continues a second defeat in a row and falls to 7th place.
