Paris Saint-Germain earn a hard-fought 2-1 win at the Stade de la Meinau against a combative Strasbourg side to kick off this weekend's Ligue 1 Uber Eats action
Luis Enrique’s men edged a tight contest against Strasbourg to earn a fourth consecutive win away from home. Kylian Mbappé missed a penalty in the first half before profiting off a goalkeeping error to open the scoring whilst Marco Asensio doubled PSG’s lead in the second half. Strasbourg would pull one back through Dilane Bakwa.
As Matz Sels left Strasbourg for Nottingham Forest the day before playing the Ligue 1 champions, it was 22-year-old Alaa Bellaarouch who began the match between the sticks for Vieira’s side in his first start of the season. Within the first ten minutes the Moroccan had to face Kylian Mbappé from the penalty spot after Randal Kolo Muani was fouled in the box; he then saved the France captain’s effort brilliantly to his left side (5’). If Bellaarouch was mostly outstanding in the first half, it would be a cruel turn of fate which saw him clear the ball into Marco Asensio, who set up Kylian Mbappé to finish into the open net for his 20th goal of the season in all competitions (31’).
Asensio doubles, Strasbourg pull one back
It would be the Spaniard who would double the scoreline for Les Parisiens shortly after the resumption of play for the second half, tucking away a low strike after being fed a precise pass by Kylian Mbappé (49’). Strasbourg endeavoured to find a way back into the game and grabbed a goal back through Dilane Bakwa, with a cushioned volley past Donnarumma served by a perfect pin-point cross from Angelo from the right flank (68’).
As the tension grew in the match, so did the tension on the sidelines as Patrick Vieira found himself in the referees book for excessive protest. It was a sign for things to come as the Strasbourgeois grew in confidence and began to pile the pressure on PSG in the latter stages of the game. Several chances came the way of the home side in injury time, including a header from Emanuel Emegha which was collected calmly by Donnarumma (90+3’).
Les Parisiens saw through the late pressure against Strasbourg to take home the three points and extend their lead at the top of the Ligue 1 Uber Eats table.
