Dembele Scores Twice as PSG Beats Lille to Return to Ligue 1 Top Spot
Dembele scores twice as PSG beats Lille 3-0, reclaiming Ligue 1 summit with stunning form after injury struggles.
Lens could reclaim the top spot in Ligue 1 if they overcome Auxerre on Saturday, but Paris Saint-Germain’s coach Luis Enrique will be encouraged by his star striker’s resurgence. Despite an injury-plagued season, Dembele—last season’s Ballon d’Or winner—showed sparks of his best form.
On Friday, Dembele’s two goals, including a remarkable lob, thrilled PSG supporters. He opened the scoring with a beautifully curled left-footed strike from outside the box in the 13th minute. Later, shortly after the hour mark, he delicately chipped over Lille’s goalkeeper Berke Ozer from close range to double the lead.
That's the magic of Ousmane, he can do anything, he's just brilliant.
— Warren Zaire-Emery
Dembele nearly added another after the break but was ruled offside after finding space unmarked at the far post. In stoppage time, substitute Bradley Barcola sealed the win by capitalizing on a defensive error, calmly finishing past Ozer to make it 3-0.
Goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier had little to worry about throughout the match. Lille, sitting fourth, pressed hard and forced PSG into mistakes, one of which almost presented a chance for Olivier Giroud. The veteran forward’s clever chip hit the crossbar, narrowly missing an equalizer when the score was 1-0.
PSG lined up with Dembele, Desire Doue, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia—a squad close to the one that lifted the Champions League trophy against Inter Milan last May. However, defender Achraf Hakimi was absent as he prepares for the African Cup of Nations final with Morocco this Sunday.
Last term’s dominant champions ran away with the league by 19 points, but this season Lens have matched their pace, currently riding a nine-game winning streak across all competitions.
