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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) suffered a 2-0 defeat at Parc des Princes in Ligue 1 on Sunday as Rennes capitalized on the hosts' inexperienced defensive lineup.
Karl Toko Ekambi broke the deadlock right at the stroke of half-time. Then, Arnaud Kalimuendo, a product of Paris Saint-Germain's academy, came back to haunt his old club with a 48th-minute tap-in.
The hosts looked dangerous every now and then but their efforts were thwarted by a robust defensive performance from Rennes. 37-year-old goalkeeper Steve Mandanda produced a series of impressive saves to frustrate Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.
Les Parisiens saw their 35-game unbeaten run in Ligue 1 at home come to an end following the defeat. Rennes, on the other hand, extended their unbeaten run in their travels to three games, keeping clean sheets in all these games as well.
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As the league leaders suffer their first defeat in five games, we take a look at the five talking points from the match.
#5 Karl Toko Ekambi opens his goal-scoring account for Rennes in a crucial away game against PSG
Karl Toko Ekambi could not have wished for a better game to score his first goal for Rennes than the away game against the league leaders. He joined Rennes on loan from Lyon in January but failed to score in his first seven league appearances.
He managed to score in the Europa League against Shakhtar Donetsk in both legs, but Rennes were eliminated from the playoffs.
Ekambi's pace was always going to cause problems for the inexperienced PSG defenders. He put that to good use as he timed his run perfectly to meet Benjamin Bourigeaud's lofted pass. His first touch was exquisite and he followed that up with a crisp finish.
#4 Paris Saint-Germain's depth got exposed
Christophe Galtier found himself in a pickle just before the game as almost all of his first-choice defenders were unavailable for the match against Rennes. Sergio Ramos and Marquinhos were not match-fit, while Presnel Kimpembe is out for the remainder of the season.
The only proper center-back that was named in the starting XI was 17-year-old El Chadaille Bitshiabu. Danilo and Juan Bernat started as the other two players in the three-man defensive line.
Timothée Pembélé, who started as the wing-back on the right flank, struggled with Ekambi's pace and was caught napping on a few occasions. Although Rennes didn't have a lot of chances (three shots on target) throughout the game, they were able to make the most of them. The inexperienced defenders failed to track their markers and make timely interceptions.
#3 Rennes secure a league double over PSG for the first time in 14 years
Rennes made the most of a weakened Paris Saint-Germain, recording a 2-0 win. Even though they were second best in possession (40 percent) and shots taken (10, three on target), PSG's inexperienced defense ensured that they had easy sailing.
Toko Ekambi opened the scoring with a well-taken left-footed shot while former Paris striker Arnaud Kalimuendo added the second goal just three minutes into the second half.
It was Rennes' first league double since the hosts' takeover by QSI and their first since the 2008-09 campaign, with the visitors keeping clean sheets in those wins too.
PSG have suffered four defeats in Ligue 1 this season, with all of them coming in 2023 and two coming against the visitors.
#2 Steve Mandanda rolls back the years with a tireless performance between the sticks
While Rennes made the most of their few chances from the game, the hosts squandered most of their goal-scoring opportunities. Credit for stopping the in-form Mbappe and Messi should go to Rennes' Steve Mandanda.
The veteran goalkeeper stood strong in front of the goal and even put his body on the line to make a couple of saves. He denied Mbappe from close range in the first half, following Messi's amazing pass, taking the brunt of the shot's force face-first.
He denied Marco Verratti in the second half as the midfielder tried to curl his effort on to the right post. He made eight saves throughout the game and ensured a clean sheet for Les Rouge et Noirs.
#1 Lionel Messi continued to get booed by PSG supporters as he fails to impress in home defeat
PSG had a disadvantage heading into the game as they took to the pitch without their first-choice defenders. Nonetheless, the presence of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, the top assist provider and the top scorer in the league respectively, should've made up for their handicap. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
Messi was jeered by the home fans when his name was announced before the game and the sound only grew louder as PSG conceded two goals. Messi took off straight down the tunnel after the final whistle and it remains to be seen how the situation changes when club football resumes after the international break in April.
