RC Strasbourg 1-3 PSG: Paris survive scare to record crucial win against Le Racing

PSG scored three goals in the last fifteen minutes of normal time to beat Strasbourg, as the Champions climb to the top of Ligue 1 for the first time this season. American international Giovanni Reyna scored the opening goal of the game in the first half for the hosts Strasbourg, whose ownership is affiliated to that of Premier League club Chelsea and whose squad is full of former Chelsea or Chelsea academy players, including Filip Jorgensen, Genesis Antwi and Dario Essugo, all of whom started yesterday.

Paris take down Strasbourg and keep on winning run in Ligue 1

PSG failed to break back into the game for a long period, with Luis Enrique having to introduce two of PSG’s midweek goalscorers, Ousmane Dembélé and Desiré Doué, who had been rested from the start, presumably with an eye on Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Barcelona. It was an another uninspiring performance from some of the starting attackers, including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who had yet another poor game this season, and Maghnes Akliouche, whose start to life at PSG has been far from simple.

PSG were handed a lifeline after seventy minutes when they were awarded a penalty for a handball by Pape Diop, but Ousmane Dembélé blazed wide from twelve yards. It only proved a temporary reprieve for Strasbourg, as PSG soon did manage to equalise – the goal came from an unlikely source, Dembélé’s brilliant cross being turned in by centre-back Illia Zabarnyi, who scored only his second ever goal for the Parisians to bring them back into the game.

Minutes later, PSG turned the game on its head as Dembélé made up for his penalty miss by brilliantly controlling a loose ball in the box before firing past the Danish Jorgensen in net for Strasbourg (the latter will perhaps feel he could have done better). Dembélé, despite his missed penalty, made a devastating impact off the bench, which is symbolic of a broader recent upturn in form, typified by his excellent work against Manchester City in the Champions League in midweek.

The Frenchman was again involved in the third goal, as he brilliantly plucked a ball out of the sky to feed Ferran Torres, who laid the ball across the face of goal to Desiré Doué, another one of Paris’s midweek goalscorers, who made no mistake as he rolled the ball into the net.

Overall, this wasn’t necessarily the most inspirational of performances from PSG, with a late comeback typical of this season’s matches in Ligue Un so far for them, but it does mean they reach the top of Ligue 1, now level on points with Monaco and Lille (although Monaco still do have a game in hand). PSG will be further tested on Tuesday night as they host Barcelona at the Parc des Princes in what is perhaps the most anticipated game across European football so far this season. Needless to say, the performance will have to be an improved one if PSG are to claim an equally satisfying result in that game.

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