PSG managed to climb back to the top of the table on Sunday night. They beat Strasbourg 2-1 at the Stade de la Meinau in a game that felt a lot closer than it should’ve been.
It was a cold night in Alsace but the action on the pitch was high intensity from the start. Luis Enrique’s side had to dig deep to get these three points.
The win puts PSG at 48 points after 20 matches. They moved past Lens who were sitting at the top with 46 points.
It was a massive result for the Parisians because they played the last bit of the game with only 10 players. But they still found a way to score and hold onto the lead. Strasbourg played well but they’ll be gutted about a few missed chances.
Safonov Saves the Day Early On
Strasbourg had a golden chance to take the lead early. In the 20th minute they got a penalty after a foul in the box. Joaquín Panichelli stepped up to take it. He looked confident but Matvei Safonov guessed right.
The PSG keeper made a big save to keep it 0-0. And that save turned out to be the turning point of the first half.
Just two minutes later PSG went down the other end and scored. Senny Mayulu found the back of the net in the 22nd minute.
It was a quick blow for the home side. They went from nearly being 1-0 up to being 1-0 down in about 120 seconds. ESPN reported that the momentum shifted instantly after the penalty miss.
But Strasbourg didn’t give up. They kept pushing and got their reward. Guela Doué scored an equalizer in the 27th minute.
It was a messy goal but they all count the same. Both teams went into the locker rooms at halftime with the score tied at 1-1. It felt like anyone’s game at that point.
Hakimi Red Card Causes Chaos
The second half was a bit of a stalemate for a while. Both managers tried to change things up with substitutions. PSG took off Mayulu and Barcola around the hour mark.
They brought on Lee Kang-in to try and spark something. Strasbourg brought on Rafael Luís later to add some energy. But the game changed completely in the 75th minute.
Achraf Hakimi got into trouble. The referee Eric Wattellier went to the VAR monitor after a challenge. It didn’t look good on the replay. Hakimi was shown a straight red card. Suddenly PSG were down to 10 men with 15 minutes left to play.
Strasbourg fans thought they could win it now. And you could see the PSG players looking a bit nervous on the pitch.
According to Sky Sports, PSG had to reorganize their defense quickly. Marquinhos was shouting orders trying to keep everyone focused. They didn’t just sit back though. They kept looking for a chance to break forward. It was risky but it worked out for them in the end.
Nuno Mendes Scores the Winner
Even with 10 men PSG found the winning goal. Nuno Mendes made a great run forward in the 81st minute. He got the ball in a good position and didn’t miss.
It was a clinical finish. That goal silenced the home crowd. Strasbourg tried to throw everything at PSG in the final minutes plus seven minutes of stoppage time. But they couldn’t break through again.
The match ended 2-1. PSG showed a lot of character to win while being a man down. Safonov was probably the man of the match for that early penalty save. If Panichelli scores that then the game is totally different.
PSG has 15 wins now this season. They look like they’re starting to find their rhythm again even if it wasn’t a perfect performance.
Match Timeline and Stats
The game was very balanced in terms of possession but PSG was more clinical when it mattered. Here is how the key moments broke down during the 90 minutes.
| Minute | Event | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 20′ | Penalty Miss (Panichelli) | Strasbourg |
| 22′ | Goal (Mayulu) | PSG |
| 27′ | Goal (Doué) | Strasbourg |
| 75′ | Red Card (Hakimi) | PSG |
| 81′ | Goal (Mendes) | PSG |
Strasbourg will feel they deserved a point. They had 19 matches played now and stay on 30 points. They’re sitting in a decent spot in the middle of the table but these are the games you want to get something from. For PSG it’s all about the title race.
They’re two points ahead of Lens now. Match coverage suggests this win could be huge for their confidence going into the spring. They have to deal with Hakimi being suspended now though which is a headache for Luis Enrique.
