BREST, France: Paris Saint-Germain won their first Ligue 1 game in three attempts as they beat Brest 3-0 on Saturday thanks to two goals from Achraf Hakimi.
The reigning French and European champions regained top spot but Marseille can replace them if they win at Lens in the late kickoff.
Vitinha’s deft chipped pass behind the Brest defense set up Morocco international Hakimi to score with a low shot after 29 minutes.
Ten minutes later Hakimi exchanged passes with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and fired into the roof of the net at the Stade Francis-Le Ble.
Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele replaced Hakimi halfway through the second half for his first Ligue 1 appearance since he was injured in late September.
Romain Del Castillo missed a penalty for Brest in the 59th minute before Desire Doue wrapped up the three points for PSG with a goal late in stoppage time.
PSG return to Ligue 1 winning ways
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PSG return to Ligue 1 winning ways
- The reigning French and European champions regained top spot
- Marseille can replace them if they win at Lens in the late kickoff
Rampant Sabalenka sweeps past Jovic into Australian Open semifinals
MELBOURNE: Relentless top seed Aryna Sabalenka muscled past American teenager Iva Jovic and into the Australian Open semifinals Tuesday to accelerate her bid for a third Melbourne title.
The Belarusian powered home 6-3, 6-0 in blazing heat to set up a clash with either third seed Coco Gauff or 12th seed Elina Svitolina.
It booked the 27-year-old a 14th career Grand Slam semifinal and fourth in a row at the season-opening major.
Sabalenka has won twice in Melbourne, in 2023 and 2024, and seemed destined for another crown last year but was upset in the final by Madison Keys.
Keys’ title defense is over, beaten in the fourth round by Jessica Pegula.
“These teenagers have been testing me in the last couple of rounds,” said Sabalenka, who is on a 10-match win streak after victory at the lead-up Brisbane International.
“It was a tough match. Don’t look at the score, it wasn’t easy at all. She played incredible tennis. Pushed me to to one step better level. And I’m super happy with the win.”
The match was played under an open roof on Rod Laver Arena with the tournament Heat Stress Scale yet to reach the level where it could be closed.
Temperatures are forecast to hit a blistering 45C with a peak of 38C reached during the match.
Defeat brought an end to a breakthrough tournament for 18-year-old Jovic, the youngest player in the women’s top 100 and seeded 29.
She stunned seventh seed and two-time Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini and blitzed past experienced Yulia Putintseva for the loss of just one game to announce herself to the world.
But Sabalenka was a bridge too far.
The world number one safely held serve to lay down a marker, blasting an ace to set up game point and an unreturnable serve to win it.
Jovic made some early errors and sent the ball long on break point to surrender her serve and fall 2-0 behind.
Sabalenka held to pile on the pressure before Jovic fended off a break point on her next serve to get on the scoreboard.
But despite some long rallies as she got into the match and three break points as Sabalenka served for the set, the top seed’s brute force proved too much.
Sabalenka then broke her immediately to assert control of set two and Jovic was spent, with another break for 3-0 then a double fault to slump 5-0 down, signalling the end.
