The job is done. Paris SG took the reins of Ligue 1 on Saturday by dominating Dijon (4-0) at the Parc des Princes with the first two goals of its rookie Moise Kean and another double, by the indefatigable Kylian Mbappé.
Against the Red Lantern, the suspense did not last long. Barely three minutes after kick-off, Kean unlocked his counter under the Parisian colors. The Italian picked up a cross from Mitchel Bakker on the fly after an impeccable opening from captain Marquinhos.
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Then after a cons nicely led by Neymar, the former Everton just had to push the ball into the empty goal (23rd). And he missed on several occasions to achieve a hat-trick: a shot from Neymar well blocked by Saturnin Allagbe while he was there in fox (47th), a strike a little too far to the right (49th) …
Kylian Mbappé, left to rest after his overloaded October, still lived up to his reputation for indestructibility: entering the 72nd, the star of the Blues scored on his first opportunity, with a shot between the legs of Allagbe (82nd) … and on the second (88th), after an unstoppable combination with Neymar and Pablo Sarabia. With these two new goals, Mbappé shares the lead in the scorers’ standings (6) with Messin Ibrahima Niane, now far from the field after a rupture of the cruciate ligament of the right knee.
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The armband for Neymar
From an accounting perspective, the three points allow Paris, 18 units, to take sole control of the L1, which it will keep if Lille does not win in Nice on Sunday (5 p.m.). The essential is done for the champion of France, who takes down his sixth victory in a row in L1 against the red lantern, 2 points in 8 days. What to avoid embarrassing the coach Thomas Tuchel, criticized after the defeat in the Champions League against Manchester United (2-1).
If he put French internationals Kylian Mbappé and Presnel Kimpembe to rest, in great demand in October, the German has again made bold tactical choices. The captain Marquinhos, central defender by profession, has switched his position with the sentry Danilo Pereira, so that the Brazilian weighs on the whole team.
And Neymar retreated to play playmaker, as he had faced the Red Devils in the second half. A rather successful experience: “Ney” delivered an opening and a decisive pass… and took advantage of the exit of Marquinhos (72nd) to show off the captain’s armband.
Paris revamped
Four days before returning to the C1 for a trip to Basaksehir Istanbul, all doubts about the Parisian game have not been dispelled, however. Realistic, disciplined in their counter-pressing, the Red and Blue have conceded several opportunities to the Dijon, too clumsy to frame their shots.
And within a largely reworked team, between injuries, suspensions and rotation, the automatisms were sometimes lacking, as shown by a loss of ball from Danilo (40th) or a touch offered to the Burgundians by Kean (31st) on a failed recess pass.
For Dijon, the curse of the Park continues. Seventh trip to Paris, seventh defeat and seventh game without scoring a goal. Eric Ebimbe, product of the Parisian training center and loaned to Dijon this season, had the most frank opportunities to break this series (19th, 25th), but he could not find the frame. And for Paris, it is now time for the Champions League.
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