Paris stun Lille to record tenth consecutive win
In a one-sided encounter at the Parc, Paris Saint-Germain made the difference in the first half to blow away Lille and claim their second win of the week (4-1). Here's a look back at an evening packed with goals at the Parc des Princes.
Just three days after reaching the last four of the Coupe de France against Stade Briochin (0-7), Paris Saint-Germain were back at home, this time in Ligue 1, for a clash at the top of the table against Lille. Luis Enrique lined up a central defensive pairing of captain Marquinhos and Lucas Beraldo in front of Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal. At full-back, Achraf Hakimi started on the right, with Nuno Mendes on the opposite side. In midfield, Fabian Ruiz was joined by João Neves and Désiré Doué, while Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé supported Gonçalo Ramos up front.
After paying a heartfelt tribute to Bernard Brochand, the Parc was ready to cheer on its eleven warriors for the evening. You did not want to arrive late to this one, as Paris got off to a flying start when Bradley Barcola took advantage of Ousmane Dembélé's initial effort to fire past Lucas Chevalier from close range (1-0, 6'). The tone was set by a Parisian side who were suffocating their opponents, outmatched both technically and physically. The Rouge et Bleu also had the better of the Dogues in the air, but Lucas Beraldo's header flew centimetres wide of the Lille post (16'). The Parisian waves were crashing down on Lucas Chevalier, who was doing his best to keep his ship afloat.
It was a task he was doing his best with, first with a triple save from Dembélé, Gonçalo Ramos and Achraf Hakimi (19'), before miraculously preventing João Neves from doubling the lead (21'). But Paris just kept on going, and Marquinhos managed to get his head on a cross from Désiré Doué to make it 2-0 (2-0, 22'). Superior in every department of the game, the capital club set fire to a Parc des Princes that was still begging for more. And just as well, because the Parisians still had plenty left in the tank. What better way than a superb one-touch team move initiated by Bradley Barcola on the left, then completed by Ousmane Dembélé on the opposite flank, to send the Parisian fans into raptures with a third goal in less than half an hour (3-0, 28').
With their backs against the wall, LOSC tried to regain their confidence as they came towards Gigio Donnarumma's goal, but the visitors did not attempt a single shot in the first half. In contrast, Luis Enrique's men kept up the pressure, with Désiré Doué adding to the scoreline with a powerful right-footed shot that flew into the top corner of the net past a disillusioned Chevalier (4-0, 37'). After a one-sided first half, it was only logical to expect Lille to fight back in the second period. But although the Dogues rearguard seemed less vulnerable, Bruno Genesio's players were still unable to break down a solid, hard-working Paris side. Gonçalo Ramos was found on the penalty spot and his shot flew wide (66‘), and so was former Parisian Ethan Mbappé, who came on as a substitute and fired a shot just wide of Donnarumma's goal (67’).
The Rouge et Bleu remained in control of the game, and Bradley Barcola came close to scoring again with a lob that was eventually disallowed for offside (77'). Moments later, Jonathan David reduced the deficit by scoring his side's only goal of the evening (4-1, 80'). It was an anecdotal goal that did little to give hope to a Lille side that never really got going.
By the end of the game, Paris Saint-Germain won by a large margin to continue their impressive run at the top of Ligue 1. Now it's on to the last 16 of the Champions League for the Rouge et Bleu, with an altogether different challenge against one of the three best teams in Europe this season: Liverpool FC. The first game in this thrilling duel will be played next Wednesday at 9pm at the Parc des Princes, which promises to be a red-hot affair. The date is set!