Paris Saint-Germain climbed back to the top of the Ligue 1 table on Sunday night after a dramatic 2–1 away victory over Racing Strasbourg, sealed by a late goal despite the champions finishing the match with ten men.
Nuno Mendes struck the decisive winner in the 81st minute at a lively Stade de la Meinau, heading home from close range to hand PSG three crucial points just six minutes after Achraf Hakimi had been sent off. The result lifted Luis Enrique’s side to 48 points, moving them two clear of second-placed Racing Lens, while Strasbourg remained seventh on 30 points.
PSG had taken the lead in the 22nd minute through Senny Mayulu, capitalising on a costly error by Strasbourg captain Mamadou Sarr. The goal came moments after Strasbourg missed a golden opportunity to go ahead, with Joaquin Panichelli seeing his penalty saved by goalkeeper Matvey Safonov following a VAR review that punished Marquinhos for a handball while blocking Abdoul Ouattara’s shot.
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The home side responded quickly, drawing level just five minutes later. Ben Chilwell surged down the left flank on the counter-attack and delivered a precise pass that Guela Doué finished expertly. His younger brother, France international Désiré Doué, later entered the match at halftime for PSG, adding an intriguing family subplot to the contest.
The turning point arrived in the 75th minute when Hakimi, the African Footballer of the Year, was dismissed for a high challenge on Panichelli. Initially shown a yellow card, the decision was upgraded to a red after a VAR review, leaving PSG to navigate the closing stages a man down. The sending-off means Hakimi will miss next weekend’s high-profile clash with Olympique de Marseille.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, PSG showed resilience and tactical discipline. Warren Zaïre-Emery dropped into the right-back role, and it was his driving run and accurate cross that set up Mendes, who ghosted in unmarked from the left to nod home the winner.
Strasbourg pushed forward in search of a late equaliser but were undone by lapses in concentration at the back, a frustration that will linger given their late advantage. For PSG, the win reinforced their title credentials, combining defensive resolve with clinical finishing to regain top spot in Ligue 1 after a pulsating encounter.
