PSG suffers their first defeat of the season, losing 3-1 at Lens, in the absence of Messi and Neymar

PSG was without Neymar, through suspension, and World Cup winner Messi, who is returning to training after an extended stay back home in Argentina.

Lens, who are second in the French league, secured their ninth straight home victory by defeating league leaders Paris Saint-Germain 3-1. PSG, who had previously been undefeated this season, were exposed for their weakness against the counterattack and were unable to match Lens’s midfield dominance. Lens’s strong defense, which has only allowed 11 goals in 17 matches, proved to be a formidable opponent for PSG, who have conceded 13 goals this season.

The match marked coach Franck Haise’s 100th game in charge, and he celebrated the occasion by singing a club anthem with the fans. Lens, known as “The Blood and Gold” for their yellow jersey and red shorts, have a strong connection to their working-class roots and have a history of success, winning the league title in 1998 and finishing as runners-up to Lyon in 2002. The first goal of the match was scored in the fifth minute.

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Lens used their strong pressing game to win the ball and moved it to the left wing, where Florian Sotoca’s goal-bound cross was saved by PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. However, winger Przemyslaw Frankowski was able to volley in the rebound. PSG quickly equalized, with forward Hugo Ekitiké scoring from close range just three minutes later after Lens failed to clear a cross from the right.

PSG’s weakness against rapid attacks was again exposed when midfielder Seko Fofana won the ball near his own penalty area and played a through pass to Loïs Openda, who cut inside defender Marquinhos before scoring. PSG conceded again just two minutes into the second half when Fabien Ruiz lost the ball, Openda back-heeled it to forward Alexis Claude-Maurice, and he scored past Donnarumma.

PSG star Kylian Mbappé, the league’s top scorer with 13 goals, was kept quiet and only managed a speculative shot in the 60th minute. PSG coach Christophe Galtier’s decision to play Mbappé and Morocco right back Achraf Hakimi in back-to-back games so soon after the World Cup appeared to backfire as both players looked tired. Galtier said that they will be rested for PSG’s French Cup game on Friday against Châteauroux. PSG was missing Neymar, who was suspended, and World Cup winner Lionel Messi, who is returning to training after an extended stay in Argentina.

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Other Games

Monaco moved up to fourth place in the league after defeating Brest 1-0 at home. Russia midfielder Alexandr Golovin scored the only goal of the match in the 54th minute. Monaco coach Philippe Clement made a bold choice by starting 17-year-old Eliesse Ben Seghir over established striker Wissam Ben Yedder, who has been the club’s top scorer for the past three seasons.

Clement said that Ben Seghir “brought a lot of energy to the team” and that “what’s important is not a player’s age but what he shows on the field.” Ben Seghir made a sensational league debut in midweek, coming off the bench to score twice, including a curling winner in the style of Kylian Mbappé, to help Monaco win 3-2 at Auxerre. Monaco is now level on points with third-place Marseille, who play at Montpellier on Monday.

Lyon lost 1-0 at home to Clermont, with Clermont midfielder Muhammed Cham scoring a penalty in the 87th minute. The win moved Clermont up to ninth place, two points behind Lyon in eighth. Rock-bottom Angers took the lead in the 10th minute through striker Abdallah Sima, but Lorient equalized in the 79th minute when Sima turned Enzo Le Fée’s corner kick into his own net. Le Fée scored the winner in the 87th minute as Lorient moved up to sixth place.

Toulouse won 2-0 against Ajaccio with goals from Rafael Ratao and captain Brecht Dejaegere. Substitute Marcus Coco scored the only goal as Nantes beat Auxerre 1-0, pulling clear of the relegation zone.

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Monday Game

Rennes will need to defeat Nice at home in order to move above Monaco and into at least fourth place in the race for a Europa League spot. In other matches, Strasbourg, who are struggling after a narrow 2-1 defeat at PSG, will host Troyes, and Lille will host Reims.