Strasbourg take the lead, then the bench turns it

Paris Saint-Germain travelled to Strasbourg on Saturday, 17 October, three days after a 4-2 Champions League win over Manchester City. Luis Enrique changed eight players from that side, according to the BBC, and the rotated team fell behind in the 17th minute. Giovanni Reyna's shot was deflected off a defender and went past goalkeeper Matvey Safonov, giving the hosts a lead they carried into the second half. Strasbourg were coached by Hugo Oliveira, and their starters included Dário Essugo and Fábio Baldé, as SAPO and Notícias ao Minuto both reported. Strasbourg came into the game on a run of defeats, and after this one they had lost a third consecutive league match, per Notícias ao Minuto.

Substitutions and early chances

Before Strasbourg scored, PSG had chances through Akliouche around the ninth minute and Ferran Torres two minutes later, El Periódico reported. Strasbourg also came close when Fábio Baldé struck the right post. Luis Enrique then brought on five of his stars between the 53rd and 63rd minutes, Notícias ao Minuto said, naming Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, Ousmane Dembélé, Hakimi and Désiré Doué. João Neves, who had started, was replaced in the 64th minute. The changes shifted the balance of the game, but PSG still needed three goals in the final third of the match to win it.

Dembélé's penalty miss and three late goals

Dembélé, who came on around the hour mark, was given a penalty in the 72nd minute after a handball in the Strasbourg area, and he shot wide, SAPO reported. He then made amends. Illia Zabarnyi tapped in the equaliser from Dembélé's cross in the 77th minute.

Dembélé himself struck a low effort from 16 yards out in the 85th minute to put PSG 2-1 ahead, the BBC reported. Désiré Doué added the third goal in stoppage time, at 90+3, from a ball played by Ferran Torres.

Nuno Mendes and the Ligue 1 table

Nuno Mendes, who had entered in the 54th minute, left the pitch in the 87th minute with physical complaints, SAPO reported, and the same outlet said PSG played the closing minutes with ten men. The win moved PSG to 14 points after the seventh round. Reports differ on their position: Notícias ao Minuto has them level with Monaco at the top, while SAPO places them provisionally second. Monaco, who also have 14 points, play at Lorient on Sunday. Strasbourg sit 12th with seven points.

PSG14

Monaco14

Strasbourg7

PSG

14 points

Monaco

14 points

Strasbourg

7 points

Data from the article text

Context and what comes next

El Periódico noted that PSG had failed to win any of their first three Ligue 1 matches this season, but arrived in Strasbourg on a run of three straight league wins. The paper described the champions as lacking the determination they usually show in the league. PSG host Barcelona at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, 20 October, in a Champions League meeting between two of the tournament favourites. Lille-Brest and Troyes-Lens were also scheduled on Saturday, according to Notícias ao Minuto.