Ligue 1 clash between champions Paris Saint-German and Olympique Lyon produced all action-packed for the faithful on Sunday as Luis Enrique’s men edged the game 3-2.
Lyon had made a late comeback in the game that came to life in the second half after Les Parisien had hone two goals up courtesy of Achraf Hakimi and a sweet curl from in-form Ousmane Dembele.
The hosts got a lifeline when Ryan Cherki’s close strike reduced that parity, but Hakimi, again courtesy of a sweet team move, restored PSG’s two-goal lead.
Substitute Maitland-Niles delivered a sweet cross from Corentin Tolisso to nod on in added time, thereby creating a nervy end for the visitors, who held on for a slim victory.
The victory moves the Paris club 13 points clear at the Ligue 1 summit. It also ends Les Gones’ seven-match unbeaten home run in the league this season.
Before heading to the Groupama Stadium, Enrique’s men were rampant in the UEFA Champions League knockout clash against fellow Ligue 1 side, Brest, winning the return leg 7-0, 10-0 in total.
However, the Parisians looked insipid by comparison early on here and created next to nothing in the opening 10 minutes despite dominating possession.
They clicked top gear in the second half with scintillating football that saw, Dembélé at the centre of things, beating the Lyon offside trap and rounding goalkeeper Lucas Perri, but his goal-bound strike got cleared off the line by Clinton Mata, whose despairing slide earned him a painful collision with the post.
PSG needed just eight minutes to break the deadlock.
Ernest Nuamah’s appeals for a penalty after being bundled over by Nuno Mendes ultimately fell on deaf ears, and the league leaders broke with the deadlock when Bradley Barcola’s low cross from the left got pulled behind the crowded six-yard box, and Hakimi arrived to rifle an effort into the bottom corner.
They then doubled their lead for the Parisians through the red-hot Dembélé, who pulled further clear as the division’s leading scorer with a sensational solo effort, picking out the top corner after a direct run at the heart of the Lyon defense.
Lyon got a lifeline in the final third after the Introduction of Georges Mikautadze, who skipped down the left and square for Rayan Cherki to halve the deficit.
PSG quickly quashed any hope of a late comeback almost immediately, though, as Hakimi doubled his tally with another precise finish into the far corner after a wonderfully intricate PSG move.
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