PSG Overcome Hakimi Red Card to Defeat Strasbourg and Reclaim Ligue 1 Summit

By : Mweru Mbugua 

Paris Saint-Germain returned to the top of Ligue 1 after a gritty 2-1 victory away to Strasbourg on Sunday, despite playing the final stages with 10 men following Achraf Hakimi’s dismissal

Nuno Mendes scored the decisive goal nine minutes from time, heading home to secure all three points for the reigning French and European champions in a dramatic encounter in Alsace

The match began with early tension as Strasbourg were awarded a penalty after a VAR review ruled that PSG captain Marquinhos had handled the ball in the area. However, goalkeeper Matfei Safonov came to PSG’s rescue, diving to his right to deny Joaquin Panichelli

PSG struck first soon after when teenager Senny Mayulu prodded the visitors into the lead. Strasbourg responded before the half-hour mark through Guela Doue, the elder brother of PSG star Desire Doue, who finished off a flowing move to level the score

The contest turned again in the 74th minute when Hakimi, making his first Ligue 1 appearance in three months, was sent off for a high challenge on Panichelli. Initially shown a yellow card, the decision was upgraded to red following a VAR check

Despite being a man down, Luis Enrique’s side found a winner in the 81st minute. Warren Zaire-Emery delivered a precise cross which Mendes met with a powerful header to restore PSG’s lead and silence the Stade de la Meinau

The win marked PSG’s sixth consecutive Ligue 1 victory and lifted them two points clear at the top of the table ahead of Lens, who beat Le Havre on Friday. The result also provided a timely boost after PSG missed out on direct qualification to the Champions League last 16 following a midweek draw with Newcastle United

 Also read : At Least 200 Feared Dead After Landslide Hits Militia-Held Mine in Eastern DR Congo

“We were fortunate to win this match when most people would have thought it was impossible,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique. “It was not our best performance, but the result was very important”

For Strasbourg, the defeat was their first in four matches under new coach Gary O’Neil. They remain seventh in the standings, just two points behind Lille in fifth, and encouraged by a performance in which they matched PSG for long spells

Elsewhere in Ligue 1, Lyon extended their remarkable run with a 1-0 win over Lille, making it 10 straight victories in all competitions and strengthening their push for Champions League qualification. Monaco were the weekend’s biggest winners after thrashing Rennes 4-0, while Nice rallied from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Brest