Just a few days after their resounding victory at Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League (2–7), Paris Saint-Germain were already back in action, this time for Matchday 9 of Ligue 1. On the agenda: a trip to Brittany to face Stade Brestois 29, unbeaten in their last four matches and determined to pick up more points at home.
As the sun set over the Francis-Le Blé Stadium, the home team showed from the very first quarter of an hour that they intended to give the Parisians a hard time. Although possession was largely in favour of the Red and Blue, Luis Enrique’s men struggled to break into the opposing penalty area. But as the minutes went by, the club from the capital pushed higher and higher up the pitch, suffocating a Brest side forced to dig in defensively.
Found inside the Finistère penalty area, Senny Mayulu fired PSG’s first real effort of the evening, only to be denied by a fine save from Radoslaw Majecki (24'). A few minutes later, however, the Polish goalkeeper was powerless against Achraf Hakimi’s precise finish, following a superb lofted pass from Vitinha over the Brest defence (0–1, 29'). It was the first blow to the Breton side, followed by a second before half-time when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia outplayed Junior Diaz in the box and then set up Achraf Hakimi for his brace (0–2, 39')!
Once again involved on all fronts, the Parisian captain wasted no time in unleashing a powerful strike that crashed in under Majecki’s crossbar, giving Paris a two-goal lead at half-time. After the break, Brest had no choice but to react. And when a penalty was finally awarded to the home side after several minutes of hesitation, Romain Del Castillo mishit his effort and failed to convert the chance (59').
As often happens, the third goal of the match looked set to be decisive, and Paris pushed forward again to try to put the result beyond doubt. Following an attacking corner, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia picked up the ball on the right side of the box and fired a powerful shot that Majecki managed to parry, keeping his team in the game (65'). Late in the match, Romain Del Castillo seemed poised to give the Breton crowd a thrilling finale, but the Brest striker was denied by a crucial save from Lucas Chevalier with his foot (87').
Coming on as a substitute, Désiré Doué made the most of the final minutes to stand out twice: first, after a superb ball from Ousmane Dembélé, though the Parisian No. 14’s shot skimmed just wide of the Brest post; then with a cross-shot that surprised the Ty-Zefs’ back line and struck the upright (90'+2). The French international was finally rewarded with a left-footed goal on the very last play of the match, after being picked out in behind by the ever-inspired Vitinha (0–3, 90'+6)!
At the end of a match they dominated from start to finish, Paris Saint-Germain claimed a commanding victory in Brest, capping off a perfect week highlighted by two wins and no fewer than ten goals scored. Provisionally top of the league, the Red and Blue will return to Ligue 1, and to Brittany, on Wednesday for Matchday 10, away to Lorient (19:00).
