Paris Saint-Germain delivered an impressive performance to defeat an in-form Lyon side 3-1 on Sunday, extending their lead at the top of the Ligue 1 table to seven points.
At the Parc des Princes, Ousmane Dembele opened the scoring early, followed by a Vitinha penalty, as PSG established a commanding two-goal advantage in what was expected to be one of their toughest domestic challenges this season.
Georges Mikautadze managed to reduce the deficit for Lyon before halftime, but the visitors never truly threatened to equalize. Substitute Goncalo Ramos sealed the win with a late goal for PSG.
The match also featured a brief interruption in the second half due to derogatory chants from the home crowd. Captain Achraf Hakimi intervened, pleading with the fans to stop.
The incident, part of a recurring issue this season at the Parc des Princes, could lead to disciplinary action against PSG.
Despite this, it was a largely satisfying evening on the field for Luis Enrique’s men.
This victory was especially significant as title rivals Marseille and Monaco both dropped points on Saturday, strengthening PSG’s position to retain the Ligue 1 crown.
The team now prepares for a critical clash with Monaco on Wednesday, a rescheduled fixture that could see them finish 2024 with a commanding 10-point lead.
Luis Enrique made bold lineup decisions, benching top scorer Bradley Barcola and striker Ramos, despite Ramos scoring in PSG’s midweek Champions League win against Salzburg.
Desire Doue, who also scored in that game, was handed a start and made an immediate impact.
Doue dazzled early on, outmaneuvering Ainsley Maitland-Niles on the left wing and delivering a precise cutback for Dembele to finish with a low strike, putting PSG ahead within eight minutes.
Minutes later, Doue earned a penalty after being fouled by Corentin Tolisso, which Vitinha calmly converted to double the lead before 15 minutes had elapsed.
Lyon, unbeaten in their previous nine matches across all competitions and fresh off a Europa League victory against Eintracht Frankfurt, found a lifeline when Rayan Cherki set up Mikautadze to score late in the first half.
However, PSG remained in control, and Ramos put the result beyond doubt in the closing minutes, finishing after Lucas Perri saved an attempt from Barcola.
Brest Shine with Dominant Display
Elsewhere in Ligue 1, Brest followed up their remarkable Champions League triumph in midweek with a convincing 4-1 victory over Nantes.
First-half goals from Kamory Doumbia and captain Brendan Chardonnet set the tone, while Abdallah Sima’s late brace sealed the emphatic win. Douglas Augusto scored a consolation goal for Nantes.
The victory was a relief for Brest, who had lost four of their previous five league matches but now find themselves in mid-table, six points clear of the relegation zone.
Brest, who achieved a historic Champions League qualification last season, continued their European fairytale with a 1-0 win over PSV Eindhoven midweek, putting them on track to reach the last 16.
Eric Roy’s side returned to their Stade Francis-Le Ble for Sunday’s match after hosting Champions League games in Guingamp due to stadium restrictions imposed by UEFA.
Other Results
In other action, bottom-placed Montpellier twice came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw against Nice, while Le Havre remained in the relegation zone after a 3-0 defeat to Strasbourg.
Jorge Sampaoli’s Rennes earned a much-needed 2-0 victory over Angers to ease their struggles.
