Arab News | Torres fires PSG to first win of Ligue 1 season
PARIS, France: Ferran Torres was on target as champions Paris Saint-Germain finally got their Ligue 1 campaign up and running with a 1-0 win at Brest on Sunday.
Prior to their trip to Brittany, Luis Enrique’s double Champions League-winning side had managed just two points from their opening three matches in an uncharacteristically sluggish start to the league season.
They began their quest to win a third consecutive Champions League title by thrashing Slovan Bratislava 6-1 on Wednesday and four days later they are now off the mark domestically thanks to new signing Torres.
The close-season arrival from Barcelona, who scored the winning goal for Spain in the World Cup final this summer, netted a hat-trick midweek and followed it up with a sumptuous early strike at Brest’s Stade Francis-Le Ble.
Torres now has six goals in five outings in all competitions for PSG.
“What matters to me is always helping the team, regardless of how much playing time the coach decides to give me, and doing my part. Whether that’s through goals, assists, or my work on the pitch,” the 26-year-old said.
The result sent the Parisians up to eighth in the league table, with an identical record to their hosts, who had been unbeaten heading into the encounter.
Ahead of kick-off, Brest paid tribute to their former coach Eric Roy, who died in June aged 58 after suffering from pancreatic cancer.
PSG got the crucial breakthrough in the fifth minute when Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele flicked a backheel into the path of the onrushing Torres.
The Spaniard strode onto the ball just outside the ‘D’ and caressed it into the bottom corner beyond the dive of goalkeeper Egil Selvik.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia then went close to doubling PSG’s lead in an entertaining first half.
It was not all good news for PSG in the opening period, however, as Morocco captain and right-back Achraf Hakimi limped off just before half-time to be replaced by midfielder Fabian Ruiz.
Brest came within a whisker of equalising five minutes after the interval when Nuno Mendes carelessly played the ball across for Kamory Doumbia, but the forward saw his effort rebound off the post when he had only goalkeeper Matvey Safonov to beat.
The hosts then turned into their own net two minutes later but the goal was disallowed for a push by Warren Zaire-Emery, which forced the error.
Safonov was the hero for PSG late on as he got down quickly to fingertip a Pathe Mboup effort past his far post as Luis Enrique’s side held on for the victory.
Mbappe redemption
Earlier, Ethan Mbappe redeemed himself after his Champions League red card in midweek by scoring a late goal in a 2-0 win over Troyes which sent Lille top of Ligue 1.
Mbappe, the younger brother of France and Real Madrid star Kylian, was sent off in Wednesday’s 3-2 home loss to Real Betis in Europe for elbowing an opponent.
The 19-year-old put that incident behind him, though, as he came off the bench against Troyes to seal victory in stoppage time, after the hosts had taken a first-half lead through Portuguese full-back Tiago Santos.
Mbappe celebrated his first goal since December in subdued fashion by apologizing to supporters for his red card, but the strike lifted Lille above Monaco and Rennes on goal difference at the top of the table.
“He came to his senses after his red card and showed maturity beyond his years; he took responsibility for his actions,” Lille boss Davide Ancelotti said.
“This week has been very important for him personally, helping him to grow as a player and as a person. As for his qualities, he certainly has them — he showed that again today.”
Lille have taken 10 points from a possible 12 under new coach Davide Ancelotti, the son of Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti.
Last season’s surprise title challengers, Lens, have found the going tougher this season in Ligue 1.
A 3-2 Champions League win on Thursday at Slavia Prague and victory over PSG in the French Champions’ Trophy last month stand in juxtaposition to a difficult early domestic campaign.
They now have just four points from as many outings following a 2-2 draw away to newly-promoted Le Mans on Sunday, which leaves them in 10th.
