Entertainment, goals and a love-struck Parc des Princes: Paris Saint-Germain won without faltering against Montpellier to kick off Matchday 11 of Ligue 1, after a perfectly controlled performance (3-0). A look back at the victory!
After four consecutive wins in all competitions, our Parisiens were back in Ligue 1 action this Friday at their home, the Parc des Princes. Montpellier was the opponent that stood in the way of Luis Enrique's men. However, don't be mistaken: it had all the characteristics of a potential banana skin. The team from Hérault, without any reservations, had concocted a classic yet dangerous plan to neutralise our strengths and counter us. Additionally, the packed schedule, with the looming Champions League, posed an extra obstacle on the path of a Paris Saint-Germain that remains as hungry as ever. But Luis Enrique had taken the right approach, fielding four attacking players in his starting eleven as he looked to bypass Der Zakarian's defensive system.
And from the get go, our Parisiens brought everything needed to crank up the thermostat! Luis Enrique's side were both committed and focused, generous and inspired, remaining true to their attacking DNA to gain the upper hand against this Montpellier team. Their good intentions paid off fairly quickly with an opening goal for Kang-in Lee - and what a gem it was! After a run down the right-wing by Achraf Hakimi, Kylian Mbappé cleverly let the Moroccan full-back's cross go through with a brilliant feint, allowing the ball to reach the South Korean, who skilfully placed it into the top corner of the Montpellier goalkeeper's net! (1-0, 9').
With the lead in the bag, the boldness displayed by Montpellier in the opening minutes of the match naturally dwindled, while the club from the capital clearly took control of the proceedings. This domination translated into several attempts on goal, notably for Ousmane Dembélé, who was not lacking in chances (14', 22', 25'). And it was with the same momentum that our forwards began the second half of this match, showering Benjamin Lecomte's goal with chances.
However, to avoid playing with fire against this formidable counter-attacking team, it was now time to step up... And it was our unstoppable talent, Warren Zaïre-Emery, who sent the house into pandemonium! From a brilliant combination with Ousmane Dembélé, the Parisian sensation was beautifully set up with a backheel pass and then beat Lecomte with a powerful strike worthy of a top European striker! (2-0, 58'). What a talent!
Luis Enrique added another tune to his jukebox by bringing Vitinha on! The Portuguese midfielder quickly increased the hom side's lead with yet another textbook move, firing a low shot from another Achraf Hakimi cross (3-0, 67'). It's worth noting the enormous contribution of Ousmane Dembélé, involved in all three goals, and how invaluable he was in helping his teammates score on Friday night...
Similar to those three magnificent goals, our Parisiens displayed remarkable technical quality in this match. Devastating dribbles, vertical runs, clear combinations, and spontaneous shots were all on show on this delightful evening in the Parc des Princes. Like an echo of this exciting move, the chants multiplied, and this love-struck crowd remained in harmony with their beloved team until the end. This is also the simple pleasure of a beautiful football match on a weekday evening.
At the end of another performance displaying control, Paris Saint-Germain secured their fifth consecutive victory across all competitions. This win allows our Red and Blues to take the top spot in Ligue 1 before their competitors' matches. An excellent operation to boost their confidence before hearing the Champions League anthem sound out once more, on Tuesday, at the San Siro... The appointment is set.