Torres Scores as PSG Secures First Ligue 1 Victory, Mbappe Shines for Lille
Torres Leads PSG to First Ligue 1 Win
Ferran Torres found the net as Paris Saint-Germain finally claimed their first victory of the Ligue 1 season with a 1-0 triumph over Brest on Sunday. Before this match, PSG, led by Luis Enrique, had only managed two points from three games in an unexpectedly slow start.
The team had started their Champions League defense impressively by routing Slovan Bratislava 6-1 just days earlier. Their domestic breakthrough came thanks to Torres, who joined from Barcelona during the summer transfer window and scored the winning goal at Stade Francis-Le Ble.
Torres, who also netted a hat-trick in midweek, now has six goals in five appearances across all competitions for PSG. The Spaniard said, "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."
This win lifted PSG up to eighth place in the league standings, level on points with their hosts, Brest, who had remained unbeaten until the encounter.
Match Highlights
Before kickoff, Brest paid homage to their former coach Eric Roy, who passed away in June from pancreatic cancer.
PSG broke the deadlock early, in the fifth minute, when Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele flicked a backheel pass to Torres. The striker controlled the ball just outside the penalty area and curled a shot into the bottom corner past goalkeeper Egil Selvik.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia nearly doubled the lead in a lively first half. Yet, PSG faced a setback when Morocco captain and right-back Achraf Hakimi was forced off before halftime, replaced by midfielder Fabian Ruiz.
Shortly after the break, Brest nearly equalized when Nuno Mendes mishandled a pass leading to Kamory Doumbia's shot that rebounded off the post. A subsequent own goal by the hosts was ruled out due to a push by Warren Zaire-Emery that caused the error.
Goalkeeper Matvey Safonov made a crucial save late on, tipping a Pathe Mboup effort wide, ensuring PSG held on for the narrow victory.
Mbappe's Redemption with Lille
Earlier, Ethan Mbappe bounced back from his midweek Champions League red card by scoring a late goal in Lille's 2-0 win against Troyes, pushing Lille to the top of Ligue 1.
The younger brother of French star Kylian Mbappe, Ethan had been sent off in a 3-2 home defeat to Real Betis for elbowing an opponent. Against Troyes, he came off the bench to seal the win in stoppage time after Tiago Santos gave the hosts an early lead.
Mbappe marked his first goal since December quietly, apologizing to fans for the red card incident. This goal lifted Lille above Monaco and Rennes based on goal difference.
"He came to his senses after his red card and showed maturity beyond his years; he took responsibility for his actions," said Lille coach Davide Ancelotti. "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."
Under new management, Lille has collected 10 points from 12 so far. Davide Ancelotti is the son of Brazil national team coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Lens Struggles Domestically Despite European Success
Last season’s surprise contenders, Lens, have faced difficulties in Ligue 1 this year. Although they secured a 3-2 win in the Champions League against Slavia Prague and beat PSG in the French Champions Trophy recently, their league form is less convincing.
After a 2-2 draw away at newly promoted Le Mans on Sunday, Lens has only four points from four matches, placing them 10th in the standings.
- PSG vs Brest: 1-0
- Goal scorer: Ferran Torres (5th minute)
- Brest near misses: Kamory Doumbia shot off post (50th minute), disallowed own goal (52nd minute)
- Injuries: Achraf Hakimi replaced by Fabian Ruiz (first half)
- Lille vs Troyes: 2-0
- Late goal: Ethan Mbappe (stoppage time)
- Standings update: Lille tops Ligue 1 with 10 points
- Lens current position: 10th with 4 points
