Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) made a resounding comeback with a 3-1 win against Rennes on Sunday, with Achraf Hakimi playing a crucial role by scoring a goal and assisting another. The victory propelled the capital club to third place in Ligue 1, trailing AS Monaco by just two points.
PSG had missed the chance to secure the top spot last weekend when they settled for a goalless draw against Clermont Foot, followed by a humbling 4-1 defeat to Newcastle United in the Champions League. However, they displayed no signs of a hangover from their midweek disappointment.
PSG took the lead thanks to a splendid run from Ousmane Dembele, who skillfully navigated through the Rennes defense after cutting in from the flank. Dembele then found Vitinha, who elegantly created space for himself and curled a shot from the edge of the box into the top corner, breaking the deadlock after 32 minutes.
Four minutes later, the Roazhon Park crowd fell silent as PSG’s right-back, Achraf Hakimi, slipped past an unsuspecting defense and headed in a precise cross from 17-year-old Warren Zaire-Emery from close range.
Rennes showed improvement after halftime and reduced the deficit in the 56th minute when they capitalized on a loose pass. Amine Gouiri met Ludovic Blas’s cross with a header to bring hope back to the home side.
PSG’s coach, Luis Enrique, introduced Randal Kolo Muani shortly after, and the forward wasted no time making an impact. He netted a goal with a first-time finish from Hakimi’s assist, leaving Rennes stunned and their coach, Bruno Genesio, visibly frustrated on the bench.
Late in the game, PSG’s Kylian Mbappe was denied by Rennes goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, and he narrowly missed the target moments later after skillfully rounding the keeper in a desperate quest for a goal.
With this defeat, Rennes currently occupies the eighth position in the Ligue 1 standings. PSG, on the other hand, has demonstrated their resilience and determination to contend for the top spot in the league.
