PSG earns a point in 1-1 stalemate against Reims in Ligue 1

On Saturday, 21st September, Paris Saint-Germain travelled to Stade de Reims for MD5 of Ligue 1, following their 1-0 victory over Girona in their opening match of the new UEFA Champions League campaign.

Luis Enrique fielded an unconventional lineup with three centre-backs: Safonov - Marquinhos, Pacho, Beraldo - Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves, Doue - Lee, Kolo Muani, Barcola.

The match quickly turned against the Parisians, as Reims opened the scoring in the 9th minute with a goal from Keito Nakamura.

After the first half hour of the match, PSG struggled to break through Reims' defensive line. Despite a couple of threatening chances in the opposing area, Paris appeared to have the same shortcomings as against Girona, namely a lack of creativity to convert the opportunities created.

At the 40th minute, a great goal-scoring opportunity arose for PSG, thanks to a combination between Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, and Kang-In Lee, but it ended with a shot from the Korean being blocked by the opposing defence.

The first half ended with a score of 1-0 in favour of Reims. Surprisingly, the standout for PSG was the young Desire Doue, who consistently organised his teammates and pushed forward.

PSG earns a point in 1-1 stalemate against Reims in Ligue 1

In the 65th minute, lacking clear solutions, Luis Enrique opted to bring Ousmane Dembele onto the pitch, replacing Desire Doue.

The substitution quickly proved beneficial for Luis Enrique, as Ousmane Dembele scored in the 68th minute, further cementing his impressive season in Ligue 1. Despite a lacklustre performance against Girona, the 'Mosquito' made his mark once again in the French league. Immediately after the goal, Fabian Ruiz came on for Vitinha.

At 81', Dembele had another clear chance with a header that went just wide of the goal. Ousmane had the opportunity to score again using a technique he hasn't relied on much in the past.

At 82', Senny Mayulu and Nuno Mendes came on, replacing Kang-In Lee and Lucas Beraldo.

The match concluded in a 1-1 draw, where despite PSG's dominance in possession, Reims could have easily secured victory had they capitalised on their few clear chances.

Luis Enrique will need to reassess several aspects post-match, as it is becoming a recurring issue for the team to have such possession and offensive control, yet struggle with creativity and converting opportunities into goals.