Les Parisiennes get back on track with win over Guingamp

After an opening win at Montpellier (3-1) to kick-start their domestic season, Paris Saint-Germain's Women's team were back in action in the league to take on Guingamp. Fabrice Abriel started the match with a 4-3-3 formation. Starting up front, Marie-Antoinette Katoto was supported by Romée Leuchter and Tara Elimbi Gilbert. Grace Geyoro and Korbin Albert were in charge of midfield.

The start of the match showed the attacking intent of the Parisiennes. With intense, high pressure, Les Rouge et Bleu quickly suffocated the Breton side. But this territorial domination needed to be translated into action in the penalty area. From Korbin Albert (4) to Romée Leuchter (37‘), via Tara Elimbi Gilbert (7’), Les Parisiennes made repeated attacks on the Guingamp goal, but were unable to break the deadlock. Despite having almost 70% of the ball and ten or so attempts on goal, the score remained goalless.

It was not until the second half that the match really got going. As enterprising as ever in the game, Les Rouge et Bleu stepped up a gear in the final third. It was Romée Leuchter who provided the spark! The Dutch international took advantage of some excellent work by Marie-Antoinette Katoto on the right flank to break the deadlock with an opportunistic finish from close range (1-0, 51').

Fabrice Abriel's side were active in winning the ball back and diligent in using it, and they did not let up. This goal did nothing to alter their plan. In fact, the waves continued to roll into the Guingamp penalty area. It was from a set-piece that they managed to get another goal. Romée Leuchter again took her chance from a free-kick on the edge of the area, unleashing a superb curling left-foot shot to make it 2-0 (2-0, 61'). The Paris Saint-Germain summer signing scored her first two Arkema Première Ligue goals.

The last half-hour was just as enjoyable, with Les Rouge et Bleu remaining highly committed and dominating in all areas of the game, and after a fine team move down the left, Sakina Karchaoui put further salt into Guingamp's wound with a curling effort that went in just under the bar (3-0, 64') – a masterpiece. Les Parisiennes then managed their comfortable lead intelligently, keeping the ball well in the final stages and even rounding off their fine second half by scoring a fourth goal with a close-range volley from Agueissa Diarra, who had been brought on 20 minutes earlier (4-0, 87').

After a fine team performance, Paris Saint-Germain notched up a second consecutive win to stay at the top of the table with the teams on six points in the Arkema Première Ligue. It was a victory achieved in two stages, and one that bears the stamp of our summer recruits. Fabrice Abriel's players return to the PSG Campus next Friday, when they host Le Havre in a bid to make it three in a row. Mission accomplished.