Le Havre let a golden opportunity escape them in their relegation battle to remain in Ligue 1 after drawing 3-3 against Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday night at the Parc des Princes.
PSG looked to build positive momentum heading into Wednesday's first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal tie against Borussia Dortmund, but they encountered a Le Havre team desperate for points.
Luka Elsner and his team opened the scoring against the Parisians in the 19th minute, thanks to a goal from Christopher Opéri. The capital club responded through Warren Zaire-Emery, whose contract extension was announced before the game, connecting with Bradley Barcola for a goal in the 29th minute to level the scoring at 1-1.
Despite giving up their lead, Le Club Doyen took a 2-1 advantage heading into halftime after former Olympique de Marseille standout André Ayew scored against the Parisians. After an impressive first 45 minutes, Le Havre had added to their lead.
Monsieur 𝗔𝘆𝗲𝘄 ! 🫡#PSGHAC pic.twitter.com/9jLJH2nZfL
— Havre Athletic Club ⚽️ (@HAC_Foot) April 27, 2024
Following a VAR review, the visitors received a penalty kick opportunity, which Abdoulaye Touré converted in the 61st minute to give his team a surprising 3-1 lead over PSG. Le Havre looked to leave with three valuable points that could keep them out of the direct and playoff relegation positions.
PSG didn't go down with a fight asLuis Enrique and his team would eventually level the contest. A goal from Achraf Hakimi in the 78th minute sparked the Parisian comeback, and then, in the second-half stoppage time, a header from Gonçalo Ramos allowed PSG to secure the third goal for the dramatic 3-3 draw.
FULL-TIME: Paris Saint-Germain 3-3 Le Havre.
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) April 27, 2024
A pulsating match at the Parc des Princes ends in a draw.#PSGHAC 3️⃣-3️⃣ | #Ligue1 pic.twitter.com/fyVZPMHEuF
Le Havre's draw and missed opportunity for three points open the door for FC Metz. A win or a draw against LOSC Lille will allow Metz to leapfrog Le Havre for 15th place in the table.
With three matches left in their league schedule, Les Ciel et Marine still have a challenging road to remain in France's top flight as they still have to face OGC Nice and Olympique de Marseille. Still, Le Havre showed against PSG that they shouldn't be counted out in any match.
For PSG, the focus fully shifts to Dortmund and the Champions League since the capital club won't have another Ligue 1 match until May 12.
