Les Parisiennes bring down Saint-Etienne!

Unbeaten in their last four matches in the Arkema Première Ligue, the Paris Saint-Germain Women's team headed to the Forez region with a clear intention to extend their streak as they faced AS Saint-Étienne. Coach Fabrice Abriel approached the match with an attacking starting elevent, deploying a 4-3-3 formation featuring the dynamic trio of Leuchter, Katoto and Traoré up front.

From the opening whistle, the determination of the Rouge et Bleu was evident. With an intense press and a high defensive line, Les Parisiennes sought to suffocate a more reserved Saint-Étienne side. Les Vertes adopted a low and compact block, aiming to minimise space as much as possible. This classic clash of styles, however, did little to deter Fabrice Abriel's players.

Fluid and inspired, Les Parisiennes broke the deadlock shortly after the quarter-hour mark. The breakthrough came courtesy of Marie-Antoinette Katoto. Set up by Tara Elimbi Gilbert, the Parisian striker perfectly shot at goal following a display of exceptional technical skill (0-1, 18'). A stunning goal that set Paris Saint-Germain firmly on the right track in the match. To top it off, the Rouge et Bleu capitalised on their momentum by doubling their lead soon after.

In the center of the pitch, Romée Leuchter found the perfect shooting angle and unleashed a strike that hit its target to double the lead! (0-2, 21'). Irresistible between the lines, the Dutch international nearly secured a brace, but her next powerful shot crashed against the post with just a bit of luck missing (25'). Across all areas of the game, Paris Saint-Germain's dominance was obvious.

Despite Saint-Étienne’s attempts to rally, Les Parisiennes tightened their defensive grip, leaving their opponents with only scraps to work with. This defensive discipline was matched by relentless effort at the other end of the pitch, where the Paris Saint-Germain players created numerous dangerous chances to put the game to bed.

Maryne Gignoux, the hosts' goalkeeper, held off the inevitable for a long time, making impressive saves to deny Marie-Antoinette Katoto (56'), Sakina Karchaoui (63'), Romée Leuchter (66') and Griedge Mbock (77'). However, she was powerless against one final effort from Katoto in stoppage time. Set up beautifully by Karchaoui, Katoto moved wide before slotting the ball into an empty net (0-3, 90'+1). A job well done.

After a dominant performance with 22 shots and 70% possession, the Paris Saint-Germain Women’s team secured a valuable victory, ramping up the pressure on Olympique Lyonnais at the top of the table. This final outing of 2024 marked the end of a rich and intense year for the team. Their journey will continue in 2025, starting with a derby against FC Fleury 91 on 7 January. The date is set…