Paris beats Rennes at the death!
Paris Saint-Germain overcame Stade Rennais with a 1-0 victory on the 24th match day of Ligue 1. Here's a look back at the match.
In the midst of a busy and exciting period, Paris Saint-Germain returned to the Parc des Princes and its fans for a top-of-the-table encounter. After our Senegalese heroes of AFCON Idrissa Gana Gueye and Abou Diallo were celebrated in front of their fans, the Rouge et Bleu started the match with a reshuffled line-up, notably introducing Xavi Simons for his first Ligue 1 start.
The start of the match quickly set the scene: determined to impose themselves on the game, our Parisians quickly tried to keep the ball and to attack at every opportunity, while at the other end of the field, Rennes were making the most of the chances they had to get forward. But if the Parisians wanted to capitalise on their stunning 5-1 win in the north, they also knew that it would be no walk in the park against the only opponent who has managed to beat them in the league this season...
It was a real tactical battle contested by the two teams. Concentrated and fluid in the movement of the ball, the Rouge et Bleu looked patiently for the opening against a very compact block. This pressure imposed by the Parisians was mounting on opposition goalkeeper Alemdar, with Mbappé hitting the post (40') and chances for Xavi Simons too. The Frenchman was constantly on the front foot and never stopped posing a threat. From a shot that was off target after a burst of pace (63') to a goal that was later disallowed (64'), the number 7 was working hard to make the breakthrough.
With the Bretons determined to block any attempts on goal, Mauricio Pochettino tried to find solutions, notably by making a triple change with the entry of the trio of Icardi - Nuno Mendes - Kehrer. And even if Bruno Genesio's men did not concede an inch, the persistence of our Parisians finally paid off! Kylian Mbappé's beautifully orchestrated counter-attack delivered the winning goal to the Parc des Princes (1-0, 90'+3).
After a tense match, Paris Saint-Germain racked up another win to extend their lead at the top of Ligue 1. The Rouge et Bleu will return to the Parc des Princes on Tuesday for a gala evening against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. The date is set.