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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defeated fellow title contenders RC Lens 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Sunday, April 15.
The Parisians have endured a topsy-turvy run of form, having lost three of their last five games and winning the other two. Their last two league outings at home have been defeats against Rennes (0-2) and Lyon (0-1). However, Christophe Galtier's men did well to win 2-0 away at OGC Nice in their last game.
The manager fielded a strong lineup for this game as the defending champions looked to extend their lead at the summit.
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Lens made a good start to the game and took PSG by surprise as they went toe-to-toe with them in terms of possession and pressure in the early stages. They carried good momentum as their forwards made good runs to break down the hosts' defense. However, all their early hard work went down the drain after Salis Abdul Samed made a rash tackle on Achraf Hakimi and was sent off.
The visitors held their nerve and defended well for a while but the floodgates were soon open. Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring with a clinical finish as he was assisted by Vitinha. The Portuguese then got on the scoresheet in style as he fired in a shot from long-range to make it 2-0, with compatriot Nuno Mendes providing the assist.
Mbappe then set up Lionel Messi, who fired in a low shot from an acute angle on the left side of Lens' 18-yard box. PSG carried a comfortable 3-0 lead heading into the break.
Visiting manager Franck Haise made a couple of changes as Lens looked to re-adjust following Abdul Samed's dismissal. They were handed a lifeline 15 minutes after the restart as VAR awarded a penalty for a foul by Marquinhos. Przemyslaw Frankowski stepped up and made no mistake as he sent Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way to make it 3-1.
Lens kept trying to find ways to score another goal, which would give them momentum to possibly find a late equalizer. However, Donnarumma made some good saves to keep them at bay.
PSG held on to secure a crucial 3-1 win and on that note, here are the five talking points from the game.
#5. RC Lens made a bright start to the game
With the task of chasing one of the greatest club sides in French league history, dark horses Lens have done well so far. They trailed the Parisians by just six points prior to kick-off, with both teams on 30 games for the season.
They started the game well and created early chances as they looked to put PSG under pressure. Adrien Thomasson, Frankowski, and Lois Openda used their creative runs and interplay to find space between the hosts' defensive lines. Salis Abdul Samed attempted the first shot on target of the game but the midfielder's evening ended soon after as he was sent off.
#4. PSG were handed a lifeline as Abdul Samed was sent off
Lens midfielder Abdul Samed made a decent start and even attempted the first shot on target in the game. However, he was sent off in the 19th minute for a rash tackle on Achraf Hakimi which put his team in a tough spot. PSG were all over the visitors from that moment on as they scored three first-half goals.
The Parisians scored three goals in a nine-minute span towards the end of the first half to end the contest. All three were well-worked moves as the hosts turned up the style to take advantage of being a man up.
#3. PSG made full use of their man advantage
After Lens went a man down, the game was really only going one way and PSG ensured that happened in clinical fashion. Vitinha provided an assist for Mbappe to score with a driven shot in the 31st minute. The Portuguese then attempted a shot from a distance and scored to make it 2-0 after 37 minutes. Mbappe then set up Messi, who fired in from an acute angle to make it 3-0.
Nuno Mendes played a big part in shifting the momentum in PSG's favor with his runs into Lens' box. He nearly scored a wonderful goal in the first period, having dribbled past several red & yellow shirts, but fired his shot off-target.
Mbappe was highly efficient in the final third as he won a good percentage of his duels using his strength. He also tested Lens custodian Brice Samba several times with well-taken shots.
#2. Lens showed great spirit in the second half
Despite being a man short, the visitors showed fighting spirit and refused to be blown out of the water. Manager Franck Haise made two changes at the break as he looked to tweak his team's formation to cope with their situation.
Lens had a fraction of the possession in the second period but made use of their time on the ball quite well. They attempted several shots and tested Gianluigi Donnarumma but the Italian stood firm between the sticks as he made quality saves. Frankowski scored from the spot in the 60th minute to boost their spirits.
The visitors continued to push forward and create chances but PSG adopted a conservative approach that saw them sit back and absorb all the pressure. Knowing they risked being hit on the counter-attack, Lens slowly faded away as the clock ticked on.
#1. PSG are now nine points clear at the top in Ligue 1
This result allowed the Parisians to put some daylight between themselves and second-placed RC Lens.
Having finished seventh with 62 points last season, Lens have been one of the biggest surprise packages this season. Not only have they leapfrogged last year's runners-up Marseille, they even emerged victorious against PSG by a 3-1 scoreline on their own patch earlier this season. However, they lost considerable ground on the Parisians after this defeat.
Galtier's men, on the other hand, will maintain their focus on Ligue 1 having been knocked out of every other competition in a disappointing campaign.
