(Ligue 1 2023/2024): Highlights PSG - CLERMONT
Still fighting on all fronts after reaching the Coupe de France final with a win over Rennes last Wednesday.
Paris Saint-Germain warmed up for their Champions League quarter-final this coming Wednesday with a visit from Clermont.
Top versus bottom in the league, the champions edging ever closer to another Ligue 1 Uber Eats title.
High on confidence after a 2-0 classic win.
Clermont's chances of survival looking ever slimmer.
The Lanciers had the fewest points, fewest goals scored.
And most goals conceded in their previous nine matches.
Seven points adrift and without first-choice keeper Maury Dior again.
Things look bleak. How about Luis Enrique?
Perhaps unsurprisingly made 11 changes from the mid-week Cup triumph.
And another enforced one early on as Naudi Mukele was replaced by Asraf Hakimi.
Bronco nearly making an instant impact.
Though PSG were dominant from the start, they struggled to create clear-cut chances.
And the visitors took advantage to move into a shock lead just after the half-hour mark.
The ball turned goalwards by Javi Keita.
And Milan Skriniar only able to help the ball into the back of the net.
He tried desperately to clear.
Not pretty, but they all count and Clermont will absolutely take them however they come at this point.
Particularly in this game.
It would go down as a Keita goal ultimately.
22-year-old's first in Ligue 1 Uber Eats.
Parisians expected to have the chance to equalise shortly before half-time
when the ball struck the arm of Maximiliano Coffier.
VAR had a look, but wasn't convinced.
And so it would remain a 1-0 lead at the halfway point.
Going to the second half, which started predictably with the hosts pinning Clermont back.
Bastiaan's side continued to cling to their narrow lead,
even as PSG began to produce big chances.
First, Danilo perhaps should have done better at the back post.
And then Hakimi going even closer than he did in the first half.
Fired onto the underside of the bar.
Clermont still survived.
An air shot from Marco Asensio, almost turning into a brilliant dummy.
The unfamiliar Paris side could have fallen too behind.
Coffier nearly added salt to the wound.
No penalty. Nearly a headed second goal from a corner.
Luis Enrique decided to throw Kylian Mbappe into the fray with just over 20 minutes left.
But even he could only head into the arms of Masamba Ndiae.
The ball rebounded to him.
After Gonzalo Ramos this time hit the bar.
Following excellent effort from range.
Clermont went close to themselves again after winning a free kick in a dangerous position.
Mohamed Cham firing just over from a free kick.
Ndiae in just his fifth top flight appearance and 13th in total.
And lucky for some, but not for him as he made another big save from Ramos.
Keeping his side in front.
Tipping it over the bar.
But eventually the pressure would tell.
Marquinhos on the night.
He equaled PSG's all-time appearance record starting the move.
And the introduction of the league's top scorer finally paying off.
Not with a goal, but an assist as he slipped Ramos through on goal.
And the Portuguese this time making no mistake to level things up with five minutes remaining.
Scoring for the third game in a row for club and country.
And that's now four in his last six league games.
Ramos seemingly now finding his feet and his shooting boots in France.
Wave after wave of PSG pressure came their way.
But Clermont held on and would claim a valiant point even after a doubly deflected Mbappe effort.
There remain seven points from safety, but perhaps can use this as a springboard.
Paris need no springboard despite the dropped points.
Still ten clear and surely counting down the days until they can lift the trophy.
Though they will want to address a now three league game winless run at the Parc.