A week after hosting OL Lyonnes at the Parc des Princes, the Parisiennes continued a demanding start to the year with a short trip to Stade Charléty to take on Paris FC. Against a direct rival in the race for a place in the end-of-season playoffs, Paulo César’s players (coming into the match off an impressive 3–0 win over Évian in the LFFP Cup) were eager to show ambition in this high-stakes derby.
From the get go, the match was played at a high tempo, with an early shot from an in-form Merveille Kanjinga tipped away by Mylène Chavas (3'). A missed opportunity, but the Congolese forward was not done yet: from a perfectly delivered free kick, she rose to head an unstoppable effort under the crossbar to open the scoring (0–1, 14'). The Rouge et Bleu started the derby perfectly, putting their neighbours under intense pressure.
Paris FC tried to respond, with a lob from Clara Matéo that narrowly missed Mary Earps’ post (21'). A few minutes later, Paulo César’s players hit back, when Joe Echegini won a penalty that Romee Leuchter calmly converted (0–2, 29'). It was a real first-half masterclass, and it wasn’t over yet. After a turnover by the opposition, Kanjinga won the ball back and raced through to complete her brace (0–3, 34'). Rarely troubled and ruthless in attack, the Rouge et Bleu delivered an almost perfect first half against their rivals.
Off to a strong start, the visitors still needed to maintain their dominance in the second half, with a Paris FC side eager to respond in front of their home fans. Sandrine Soubeyrand’s players tried to put Mary Earps under pressure, but her defence remained solid after the break. Around the hour mark, the Rouge et Bleu continued to control their lead, with Echegini even trying her luck from distance to extend it further.
The contest grew more balanced, but chances became increasingly scarce as the match progressed. To ignite the Charléty crowd, Olga Carmona forced Chavas into a superb save with a curling shot from the edge of the box (72'). Against an opponent struggling to respond, Paulo César’s players pushed for a fourth goal, with Tara Elimbi Gilbert narrowly missing the target in a one-on-one in the closing minutes (86').
From a corner, Paris FC came close to grabbing a consolation goal, but Théa Gréboval’s header drifted wide (90'). After a perfect first half in attack, the Rouge et Bleu managed their lead with a solid defensive display and a few counter-attacks that could have extended the margin even further.
In doing so, the Rouge et Bleu secured a very important victory in the Paris derby. By a twist of the schedule, they will face their rivals again in a week, on Saturday 14 February at 17:00, this time at the Campus, in the LFFP Cup semi-finals. They will need to be wary of an opponent seeking revenge, but they have gained a strong psychological edge tonight.
