Paris Saint-Germain, PSG, on Sunday overturned an early deficit to beat 10-man Saint-Etienne 3-1 away in Ligue 1, with Lionel Messi setting up all three goals.
The match also offered the long-awaited PSG debut of Spanish defender Sergio Ramos, while Neymar left the pitch sobbing in agony, stretchered off with an ankle injury. The result leaves PSG on 40 points, 14 clear of second-placed Nice, who lost 1-0 at home to struggling Metz on Saturday.
Saint-Etienne took a surprise lead when Denis Bouanga beat the offside trap to fire a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma on 23 minutes. Although a flag went up, but a video assistant referee review awarded the goal.
The hosts, languishing in the bottom two but on the back of two straight league wins, held their own against PSG. All that changed with a red card, as PSG levelled through Marquinhos header assisted by Messi’s free kick.
The second half saw further goals coming from Angel Di Maria on 79 and centre-back Marquinhos scored his second in extra time with Messi again providing the assist. The result sees Saint-Etienne slip to the foot of the table, behind Metz on goal difference.
Chidozie Chima | August 16, 2024
