PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain stayed on course to complete the Ligue 1 season without losing a game as the Champions League semifinalists beat struggling Le Havre 2-1 on Saturday.
Desire Doue and Goncalo Ramos scored the goals for PSG either side of half-time at the Parc des Princes, as coach Luis Enrique changed almost his entire starting line-up following the midweek European clash with Aston Villa.
PSG had already secured a fourth successive Ligue 1 title before this game, and their 10th consecutive league win leaves them on 77 points with five matches remaining.
No side has ever completed an entire French top-flight campaign unbeaten.
“We knew this game was a potential banana skin for us after a Champions League match which sucked out all our energy and left us feeling tired,” Luis Enrique said.
“All the ingredients were there for this to be a difficult game against a side who were in need of points.”
Achraf Hakimi and Bradley Barcola were the only players to keep their place in the PSG line-up at kick-off, following the 3-2 defeat away to Aston Villa which saw them edge through to the last four of the Champions League and a tie against Arsenal.
Doue gave PSG the lead inside eight minutes, and Ramos made the most of his chance in the starting line-up by making it 2-0 shortly after half-time with his 15th goal this season.
Issa Soumare pulled one back for Le Havre, but the result leaves the Normandy side still in third-bottom spot, the relegation play-off place.
If the title race in France is already over, the fight for European qualification behind PSG is intense, with the next six teams separated by only six points.
Second-placed Monaco drew 0-0 at home to Strasbourg, who are three points behind them in fifth, on a blustery evening in the principality.
Monaco were looking for a seventh successive home win in Ligue 1, but leading scorer Mika Biereth had a goal disallowed for a tight offside call in first-half stoppage time.
They had most of the chances, but Strasbourg had the ball in the net late on too, only for Emanuel Emegha’s effort from close range to also be ruled out for offside.
Liam Rosenior’s Strasbourg are now unbeaten in 10 games and remain hopeful of qualifying for the Champions League — a level the Alsace outfit have not played at since the 1979/80 European Cup.
“I have a group of players who believe they can do it, and I believe they can do it as well,” said Englishman Rosenior, whose side are undefeated since early February.
“Nobody said that this team would be able to do this at the start of the season.
“Ten games unbeaten, and the players are disappointed not to win against Nice (a 2-2 draw last week) and now Monaco, which shows how far we have come in a short space of time.”
Marseille have the chance to move back above Monaco into second with a win at home to doomed bottom side Montpellier later.
Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille are under pressure on a run of five defeats in their last seven matches, a sequence which has left them at risk of missing out on a return to the Champions League.
Lyon, in fourth, go to derby rivals Saint-Etienne on Sunday looking to bounce back from their agonizing Europa League loss to Manchester United on Thursday.
Lille and Nice, who are now sixth and seventh respectively, also play key games in the fight for Europe on Sunday.
The top three qualify automatically for the Champions League, with fourth going into the preliminary rounds.
Fifth place qualifies for the Europa League and sixth for the Conference League, although there will be an extra Europa League place available via the league should PSG beat Reims in the French Cup final next month.
PSG beat Le Havre to stay on course for unbeaten Ligue 1 season
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PSG beat Le Havre to stay on course for unbeaten Ligue 1 season
- Desire Doue and Goncalo Ramos scored the goals for PSG
- PSG had already secured a fourth successive Ligue 1 title before this game
Cup of Nations stays with form as Africa’s top two dominate
- The Cup of Nations has regularly produced surprises and upsets with previous editions
- Morocco finished the game stronger and fitter and converted all their penalties bar one with aplomb
RABAT: The rankings proved spot on as Africa’s top two teams advanced to this weekend’s Cup of Nations final, with Morocco and Senegal setting up a heavyweight clash.
But while Senegal overcame Egypt 1-0 in 90 minutes in Tangier on Wednesday, Morocco needed a penalty shootout before disposing of Nigeria after a goalless draw in Rabat to book their place in Sunday’s decider.
The Cup of Nations has regularly produced surprises and upsets with previous editions having seen many pre-tournament favorites falter, but this time the two best teams will contest the final as a strong field in Morocco has been progressively whittled down, with the rankings proving accurate for once.
Morocco, whose only Cup of Nations triumph came half a century ago, are one of several previous underachievers, notably in recent years when the quality of their squad suggested they could win the trophy, but they are now on the cusp of success.
At this Cup of Nations as hosts they looked nervy initially under the burden of expectation but in their last two matches have shown the form that has seen them ranked top on the continent since their World Cup exploits in Qatar in 2022 when they became the first African country to reach a semifinal.
MOROCCO LOOKING STRONGER AS TOURNAMENT UNFOLDS
Morocco’s aggressive pressing, high-tempo play and relentless attack saw them easily dispose of Cameroon in the quarter-finals, and while Nigeria proved tougher to dislodge in the semis, they were again much the better side.
Morocco finished the game stronger and fitter and converted all their penalties bar one with aplomb.
On top of this, their defense gave Nigeria’s dangerous forward Victor Osimhen no opportunities, marking him out of the game. Morocco have conceded once in six matches at the tournament and that was a penalty in their second group game against Mali.
“Today, we’re reaping the rewards of the golden age of Moroccan football but we mustn’t forget where we come from,” said coach Walid Regragui after Wednesday’s triumph.
He has won belated plaudits for his tactical acumen but still has one more hurdle to overcome with a confident Senegal waiting in the final.
Senegal, through to a third final in the past four editions, have a strong attacking lineup and scored in all six matches en route to the final, with Sadio Mane hitting the late semifinal winner against Egypt.
It was a goal that confirmed the 33-year-old’s continued importance to the side, even if they have several other potential match winners, and Mane is looking to go out with another winners’ medal.
“We know how to play the final,” Mane warned after Wednesday’s success. “A final is meant to be won. I will be very happy to play my last Afcon final, to enjoy it and to make my country win.”
