NEW DELHI: Paris Saint-Germain displayed their dominance by defeating arch-rivals Olympique de Marseille with a 4-0 victory, featuring standout performances from Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos, who scored their first goals for the team.
PSG's impressive win was underscored by the goals from Kolo Muani and Ramos, who netted twice, in addition to Achraf Hakimi's early opener. This emphatic victory propelled PSG to third place in the league standings, amassing 11 points from six games, just two points behind the surprising league leaders, Stade Brestois.
However, not everything went smoothly for the hosts at Parc des Princes, as star player Kylian Mbappe suffered a potential ankle injury and was forced to leave the field during the first half.
PSG's head coach, Luis Enrique, praised his team's performance, saying, "It was a perfect game. We're getting close to having what we want, players always connected, defending and attacking together."
On the other hand, Marseille, who have faced turmoil off the field, found themselves in a challenging situation. They had a tumultuous week, marked by a feud with their own fans. This led to the departure of coach Marcelino, as the club alleged that fans' representatives had threatened the club's management and pressured them to resign.
Despite these controversies, Marseille President Pablo Longoria pledged to stay on, citing "unconditional support" from the club's owner, Frank McCourt. As a result, interim coach Jacques Abardonado took charge from the touchline but couldn't inspire a response from his team against PSG's possession-heavy strategy.
The scoring action commenced early in the match, with PSG being rewarded for their dominance. Hakimi found the top corner with a stunning free-kick after Mbappe was fouled at the edge of the box, giving PSG an 8th-minute lead.
Mbappe's participation was cut short in the 32nd minute due to an ankle injury. While PSG attempted to treat the injury initially, they decided not to take any risks with the star player's fitness. Coach Enrique expressed optimism about Mbappe's swift recovery, stating, "We tried to strap it again but it was still hurting, so we decided not to risk anything. I don't think it's serious; he should be back soon."
PSG continued to apply pressure, with Kolo Muani tapping in his first goal for PSG after Hakimi's powerful strike hit the post and ricocheted off goalkeeper Pau Lopez's back.
The second half saw Ramos extending PSG's lead with a header from Ousmane Dembele's cross in the 47th minute.
The match ended with PSG fans participating in homophobic chants, drawing mixed reactions from observers. Coach Enrique expressed his confusion, stating, "I'm sorry, but I don't understand if the chants are nice or mean."
The chants briefly paused as Ramos scored the fourth goal, capitalizing on a counter-attack set up by Kolo Muani.
In an earlier game, last season's runners-up, RC Lens, secured their first win of the season with a 2-1 victory over Toulouse at home, thanks to a late goal from Morgan Guilavogui, capping off a successful week after their 1-1 draw against Sevilla in the Champions League.
(With Reuters inputs)
