Paris Saint-Germain strengthened their grip on the top of the Ligue 1 table with a narrow but crucial 1-0 victory over Lens on Saturday. A single goal from Ousmane Dembele early in the match proved enough for PSG to open a six-point lead over Monaco, who stumbled the previous day with a surprising home loss to Angers.
Dembele’s Early Strike Secures PSG’s Advantage
The home crowd didn’t have to wait long for a breakthrough. Just four minutes into the match, Dembele latched onto a well-timed cross from Bradley Barcola and sent it past Lens’ goalkeeper Brice Samba, marking his fifth league goal this season. Dembele’s form has been an asset to PSG under new manager Luis Enrique, with the winger already surpassing his goal tally from last season in a show of early-season promise.
Fabian Ruiz nearly doubled PSG’s lead just minutes later, but a quick save from Samba kept Lens within reach. Despite PSG’s pressure, Lens held their ground, though an unfortunate injury to Florian Sotoca in the 20th minute disrupted their attacking options.
Lens Down to Ten, PSG Holds On
Lens’ challenge took a further blow when Abdukodir Khusanov received a red card following a VAR review that deemed his tackle too aggressive. Reduced to ten men and already trailing, Lens found it increasingly difficult to create chances.
Though PSG appeared in control, Brice Samba’s impressive goalkeeping performance kept the visitors in the game. His standout save in the 73rd minute prevented Barcola from adding a second, maintaining a glimmer of hope for Lens. As the game wore on, PSG’s tempo slowed, but with a goal advantage and an extra man on the field, they comfortably held Lens at bay, ensuring three points to keep their title defense on track.
League Standings: PSG Extends Lead
This victory places PSG at the top with 26 points, six ahead of Monaco and eight ahead of third-placed Lille. Lens, coached by Will Still, remain in seventh, just outside the European qualification spots with 14 points.
PSG now looks forward to maintaining this momentum as they set their sights on a fifth consecutive Ligue 1 title, while Monaco’s slip-up highlights the unpredictable nature of this season’s title race.
