December 22, 2024
Bradley Barcola scored brace as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Rennes 3-1 to remain league leaders.
PSG dominated the game against Rennes as young winger, Barcola, shined, scoring two goals to top the Ligue 1’s goal scoring chart.
Luis Enrique’s side started brightly and almost took the in the third minute only for Marquinhos to be ruled for offside.A
Ousmane Dembele missed two clear goalscoring opportunities in the first 20 minutes to put PSG ahead. Achraf Hakimi also rattled Steve Mandanda’s crossbar as the French champions search for the opener.
However, the hosts took the lead as Barcola sent a brilliant right-footed curling effort past Mandanda. The goal came courtesy of a fast counter-attack engineered by Neves and Dembele.
PSG started the second half on the same rhythm, asking all the questions. They were denied a goal again as Hakimi lashed a perfect outside-of-the-boot finish to beat Mandanda, from an offside position.
The French giant doubled the lead however, with Barcola involvement. The PSG prodigy went close to replicating his opener, but his effort struck the post for an unmarked Kang-In Lee to head home.
Barcola completed his brace to make it 3-0. Mikayil Faye clumsily lost the ball in midfield, allowing Lee to release Hakimi, whose cross found the onrushing Barcola to complete his brace.
The French international makes it six goals in six league games, a goal ahead of Marseille’s Mason Greenwood.
Les Parisiens‘ night was almost perfect had Lucas Beraldo not handed Hans Hateboer’s header. The referee pointed to the spot and Arnaud Kalimuendo coolly dispatched past Matvey Safonov.
Rennes almost got their second when Alidu Seidu rifled home from a tight angle. However, the right-back was fouled for a handball.
Luis Enrique’s side deservedly won the game with the two-goal margin, in absence of key personnels. Gianluigi Donnarumma, Lucas Hernandez, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Marco Asensio and Gonçalo Ramos all missed out through injury.
Meanwhile, the Ligue 1 champions have scored 20 goals in the league, winning five games and drawing one.
They will play Arsenal next at Emirates Stadium in the Champions League on Thursday.
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