The inevitable has officially occurred. Paris Saint-Germain, already all but assured of the Ligue 1 title, sealed their championship triumph this Wednesday night with a 2-0 win against Lens, a team already qualified for the upcoming Champions League. The decisive goals came from Khvitcha Kvaratskhelia in the 29th minute and Ibrahim Mbaye in the 90th minute plus three.
Luis Enrique’s squad endured a challenging encounter, but their resilience, particularly the exceptional performance of Matveï Safonov with several crucial stops, ensured they held on. This victory solidifies Paris Saint-Germain’s dominance in French football, marking their record-breaking 14th league title and an impressive fifth consecutive championship.
At halftime, trailing by a goal, the Lens players had reason for regret. Coach Pierre Sage’s team had created a barrage of scoring opportunities throughout the first half but failed to convert any into goals. With 14 attempts, six of which were on target, frustration was palpable. Wesley Saïd (20th, 36th, 45th + 3), Adrien Thomasson (20th, 33rd), Odsonne Édouard (24th), and Abdallah Sima (38th, 39th, 41st) all tested the PSG defense without success.
A single Lens misstep proved costly for Parisians
The Parisians, by contrast, capitalized on a solitary error to punish their hosts. Following an interception of Malang Sarr’s one-touch pass, Ousmane Dembélé, maintaining his relentless press, launched Khvitcha Kvaratskhelia through the center. Kvaratskhelia then unleashed a powerful cross-shot that beat Robin Risser in the 29th minute. Paris nearly doubled their lead when Bradley Barcola recovered a loose ball near the Lens penalty area, feeding Dembélé whose cross-shot was expertly saved by Risser in the 43rd minute.
Coach Sage reflected at halftime, acknowledging a mixture of satisfaction with his team’s play and frustration with the scoreline, emphasizing the need to convert opportunities into goals. His words, however, did not immediately translate into action for his players. Shortly after the restart, Abdallah Sima found himself with another clear chance, only to be denied by Matveï Safonov in a one-on-one situation in the 46th minute.
Sima, demonstrating strength against Lucas Hernandez, saw his subsequent shot repelled yet again by Safonov’s chest in the 54th minute. After a dangerous PSG attack led by Dembélé in the 57th minute, Lens resumed their assault on the Parisian goal. Illia Zabarnyi deflected two shots from Saint-Maximin (72nd, 73rd), and the post came to Safonov’s rescue on another Sima attempt that had beaten him in the 74th minute.
The Russian custodian remained impenetrable, making another foot save from a Sangaré volley following a cross from Udol in the 80th minute. The Parisians, clinical in their counter-attacks, punished Lens a second time when Doué delivered a cross to Mbaye, who scored with a superb one-touch strike that found the net via the crossbar in the 90th minute plus three. Thauvin took a final chance, but his off-target effort perfectly encapsulated his team’s lack of finishing luck in the 90th minute plus six.
While PSG will conclude their championship season on the road against Paris FC, Lens, who have been magnificent runners-up, will face Lyon next Sunday to cap off what has been a truly remarkable Ligue 1 campaign. Both teams will then have the opportunity to chase further silverware: the Coupe de France for Lens, and the Champions League for PSG.
The player: Safonov was an unyielding force
After being rested against Brest in favor of Renato Marin, Matveï Safonov returned to his starting position in the Parisian goal for the trip to Lens. The Russian goalkeeper once again demonstrated his undeniable status as PSG’s primary shot-stopper. Despite Lens unleashing 25 shots, 10 of which were on target, Safonov refused to be beaten, making eight crucial saves to thwart the opposing attackers.
Only Gianluigi Donnarumma, with 10 saves against Marseille on March 31, 2024, and Keylor Navas, with 9 saves against Rennes on May 9, 2021, have recorded more saves in a single Ligue 1 match for Paris Saint-Germain goalkeepers under QSI ownership. On the one occasion he was beaten, the post came to his rescue in the 74th minute. Mamadou Sangaré of Lens, clearly exasperated by his opponent’s performance, conceded after the match, “We ran into a truly great goalkeeper.”