Paris Saint-Germain score five as they earn a convincing win over Monaco in a table-topping Ligue 1 clash. Gonçalo Ramos profited off a Phillip Köhn error to open the scoring for Les Parisiens before the visitors took advantage of a howler pass from Donnarumma to level proceedings in the first half. Ousmane Dembélé rifled a spectacular near post finish to double the lead for PSG, before Vitinha curled a beauty as the hosts ran away with scoring. Monaco managed to score once more to reduce the deficit through Folarin Balogun, as PSG take three vital Ligue 1 points against their Monégasque title rivals.
Some early pressure from both sides set the rhythm to an end-to-end first period. Monaco had the ball in the back of the net through Vanderson after Gianluigi Donnarumma parried the ball into the path of the wing-back; yet it was a lucky escape for Les Parisiens who delighted as VAR intervenes to rule the effort out for offside.
However, it was the hosts who opened the scoring through Gonçalo Ramos, with the Monégasque keeper Köhn unable to hold onto a strike from Ousmane Dembélé which he essentially dropped into the path of the Portuguese international to slot home.
A passing error from Gianluigi Donnarumma gifted the ball to Takumi Minamino, and the Japanese international calmly took the ball under his control with his first touch and finished past the Italian with his second.
Just as Monaco looked right back in the game, it would be the hosts that take the lead again. Les Parisiens were given a penalty after Magassa made a high challenge on Ousmane Dembélé, and Kylian Mbappé dispatched to retake the lead fr PSG on the 39th minute. Monaco almost equalised just before the break, with Donnarumma on hand to marginally tip away a Minamino effort following a driving run from Golovin.
As the second half began, both sides settled into periods of possession play, but it was the Monégasques who were showing more impetus and control going into the final third of the game. But it was Paris who would further extend their lead, and not quite in Luis Enrique fashion. This time it was a quick counter attack which saw Monaco exposed and outnumbered at the back, and it was Ousmane Dembélé who drove down the right side and finished emphatically past Köhn from a tight angle.
It got better for the hosts, once again on the counter-attack, when Vitinha curled a beauty into the top corner to send Les Parisiens into a dream scenario against their title contenders. Monaco were once again exposed on the turnover.
Yet ASM weren’t going to go down without a fight, and it was Folarin Balogun who was sent through one on one against Donnarumma, and dispatched confidently to reduce the gap to two goals. Randal Kolo Muani capped off a great evening for the French champions with a low finish in extra time as PSG remain top of the table following the international break, and go into a vital Champions League clash against Newcastle with some increased confidence.
PARIS SAINT GERMAIN PLAYER RATINGS:
Gianluigi Donnarumma, 4
Achraf Hakimi, 5
Milan Skriniar, 4
Lucas Hernandez, 5
Nordi Mukiele, 5
Fabian Ruiz, 5 – Filling in for Warren Zaïre-Emery is not the easiest brief, but the spaniard did it well. Sitting alongside Ugarte, he did well to carry the ball and break up play for Les Parisiens, without being overly spectacular.
Manuel Ugarte, 5
Vitinha, 5
Ousmane Dembélé, 7 – One of his better games in a PSG shirt, the Frenchman came into the game off the back of scoring for the French national side, and was full of confidence in his dribbling ability down the right side. It was his strike which opened proceedings for Les Parisiens, his shot stinging the palms of Köhn before Ramos slotted home. It was Dembélé’s goal which saw PSG go ahead by two goals in the second half, a fine powerful finish on the angle to silence any doubters about his finishing in front of goal.
Gonçalo Ramos, 5
Kylian Mbappé, 6
MONACO PLAYER RATINGS:
Phillip Köhn, 3
Soungoutou Magassa, 6 – The young centre-back comes off the back of selection for France’s U21 squad, and you can see why Thierry Henry is a fan of the defender. Physical in the air, pacey on the chase, Magassa was able to shepherd Dembélé reasonably well, considering the Parisien was in fine dribbling form.
Guillermo Maripán, 4
Wilfried Singo, 5
Ismael Jakobs, 5
Denis Zakaria, 6 – The Swiss international impressive in a midfield pairing alongside Mohamed Camara for Adi Hütter’s side. Solidly kept possession when needed but was essential in being able to soak up PSG pressure in the defensive phase and act quickly in transition.
Mohamed Camara, 5
Vanderson, 5
Aleksander Golovin, 6
Takumi Minamino, 6
Folarin Balogun, 6 – A difficult match for the American international, who was shepherded effectively by Lucas Hernandez and struggled to get on the end of chances in the first half. Yet, as all good strikers do, he waited for his opportunity – and it came halfway through the second half when he was fed through on goal and slotted past Donnarumma to reduce the scoreline to 4-2. Patience pays off for the Monegasque forward.
GFFN | George Boxall
