Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) kicked off their Ligue 1 title defense with a commanding 4-1 victory over Le Havre on Friday. This marked their first competitive match since Kylian Mbappe’s departure to Real Madrid.
The match started with a bang as Lee Kang-in gave PSG an early lead, scoring within three minutes in Normandy. Le Havre quickly responded when Gautier Lloris equalized, leaving the game level heading into the second half. Despite this early setback, PSG’s depth shone through in the later stages. Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, and Randal Kolo Muani, who all started on the bench, scored late goals that secured the win for the reigning French champions.
Luis Enrique’s squad demonstrated their strength in depth, overwhelming Le Havre, a team that narrowly avoided relegation last season. The French trio of Kolo Muani, Dembele, and Barcola came on as substitutes and made the crucial difference. Portugal midfielder Joao Neves also made his debut, entering the game at half-time. He recently transferred from Benfica, with a fee that could reach 69.9 million euros ($76.7m) including bonuses.
Le Havre, under new coach Didier Digard, showed resilience throughout the match. They nearly took the lead early in the second half, but a Josue Casimir goal was disallowed by VAR due to a handball. This left them to wonder what could have been.
PSG has yet to sign any major players to replace Mbappe. He left for Madrid in June after an impressive season, scoring 44 goals and setting a club record with 256 goals over his seven years at the club. As the season progresses, it remains to be seen if Luis Enrique’s team can replicate last season’s domestic success and deep Champions League run.
Despite missing several regular players, including suspended left-back Nuno Mendes and Fabian Ruiz, who is recovering from helping Spain win Euro 2024, PSG managed to field a youthful lineup. Ibrahim Mbaye, a 16-year-old debutant, started on the left wing alongside teenagers Yoram Zague and Warren Zaire-Emery, both 18.
The first half was eventful. Lee opened the scoring after receiving a pass from Goncalo Ramos. However, PSG suffered a blow when Ramos left the field with an ankle injury, leading to Kolo Muani’s early substitution. Le Havre capitalized on this momentum, with Abdoulaye Toure nearly scoring, but his goal was disallowed for offside.
Le Havre equalized three minutes into the second half. Lloris, the brother of former France captain Hugo Lloris, scored from Christopher Operi’s free-kick. The hosts nearly took the lead when Casimir found the back of the net, but VAR overturned the goal after a lengthy handball check.
In the final 20 minutes, Dembele put PSG back in front with a header from a Neves cross. Barcola added a third goal just a minute later with a superb curling shot. Kolo Muani then won and converted a late penalty, sealing PSG’s comprehensive victory at the Stade Oceane.
As the season unfolds, all eyes will be on PSG to see if they can maintain their dominance without Mbappe. Meanwhile, last season’s runners-up Monaco are set to face Saint-Etienne on Saturday. Roberto De Zerbi will make his managerial debut with Marseille against Brest, who finished third last season.
