PLAYER RATINGS | PSG 1-0 Lens: Early Dembélé goal secures win for Ligue 1 leaders

Today at 02:08 PM

Having bounced back from their early-October dip in form, Paris Saint-Germain were looking to make it three league wins on the trot ahead of a must-win Champions League match in midweek, and take a six-point lead in the table after Monaco’s slip-up.

Against Will Still’s Lens side – who only conceded their first defeat of the Ligue 1 campaign in last week’s derby against Lille – Luis Enrique opted to put an end to the experiment which had seen Ousmane Dembélé operate as a false nine for the last few games. Instead, Marco Asensio returned to the starting lineup as the French international moved back to the right wing.

The hosts were handed an early lead through the league’s most effective pairing in front of goal in their two French international wingers – this time, though, it was Bradley Barcola who provided the assist, a low cross for Dembélé to convert into an empty net.

Luis Enrique’s men predictably dominated proceedings for the rest of the first half, but a combination of overthinking and a lack of communication saw them squand the other chances that came their way. Dembélé himself came closest to doubling the lead with a curled shot from outside the box which clipped the post, while Asensio twice found himself thwarted by an onrushing Brice Samba.

The Sang et Or were increasingly venturing forward as the game went on, powered by Mbala Nzola’s hold-up play in the midst of an intense battle with Willian Pacho, and some piercing line-breaking runs from Andy Diouf. But their resurgence was cut brutally short by Abdukodir Khusanov’s sending-off on the hour mark, with the Uzbek defender’s studs-up challenge on Hakimi eventually deemed a red card offence after a VAR check.

Luis Enrique’s men scarcely capitalised on the advantage, though, with an imperious Samba denying their lacklustre attacking line at every turn. The visitors would never truly trouble Safonov, with Willian Pacho in particular continuing his impressive streak of form and establishing himself as a defensive leader of equal importance to his captain.

While bouncing back from a derby loss against the league leaders in the capital may have been a tall order, conceding two defeats on the trot does augure the end of Will Still’s honeymoon period with the Artois outfit. Returning to their early-season form will be made all the more difficult by another two absences to come in the squad, with Sotoca’s injury and Khusanov’s suspension.

The fact that the hosts were unable to double their lead against an increasingly stretched defence, though, points to a wider issue in efficiency which may cost them more dearly against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday.

PSG player ratings

Matvei Safonov, 6

Achraf Hakimi, 6

Marquinhos, 5

Willian Pacho, 7

Nuno Mendes, 6

Fabián Ruiz, 5

Vitinha, 5

João Neves, 5

Ousmane Dembélé, 6 – On his return to the right wing, the French international scored his fifth goal of the campaign within the first five minutes, and hit the post ten minutes later. He combined well with the electric Bradley Barcola, but found little success in his own one-on-one duels, losing the ball too easily in transition. Replaced by Kang-in Lee on the hour mark.

Marco Asensio, 4 – Paris Saint-Germain are no closer to finding a reliable back-up option in the number nine position – in stark contrast to the understanding between Dembélé and Barcola, the Spaniard appeared mostly removed from PSG’s overall play. The handful of opportunities he did stumble upon were kept out by an excellent Brice Samba. Came off for Désiré Doué for the final 20 minutes.

Bradley Barcola, 7

Lens selected player ratings

Brice Samba, 9 – There was little the Artois outfit’s shot-stopper could do about the opening goal, but he thwarted every other Paris Saint-Germain chance (7 saves in total), even if the hosts were particularly inept in front of goal this afternoon.

Abdokodir Khusanov, 4

Andy Diouf, 6

M’Bala Nzola, 6