Ousmane Dembele Inspires PSG Comeback Win to Reach Ligue 1 Summit

Ousmane Dembele made amends for a missed penalty by scoring and providing an assist as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) came from behind to beat Strasbourg 3-1 on Saturday.

The victory lifted the French and European champions to the top of the Ligue 1 standings. PSG extended their winning streak to four consecutive league matches and six games across all competitions.

Strasbourg took an early lead through United States international Giovanni Reyna at the Stade de la Meinau. However, PSG responded strongly after Dembele entered the match as a substitute.

The reigning Ballon d’Or winner missed a penalty in the 72nd minute. He then helped Illia Zabarnyi equalise in the 78th minute before scoring PSG’s second goal with five minutes remaining.

Dembele also contributed to the build-up for Desire Doue’s stoppage-time goal, which sealed the comeback victory.

Luis Enrique Praises Dembele’s Impact

PSG manager Luis Enrique explained why he limited Dembele’s playing time amid a demanding schedule.

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“I told him: ‘If you play for 25 minutes and you give an assist and score a goal, you don’t need to play any longer. That is enough’,” Enrique said.

The manager also stressed that players cannot perform at their best in every match.

“Ousmane and the other players are not machines and they will not always be at their best,” he added.

PSG made eight changes to their starting line-up following their 4-2 Champions League victory over Manchester City. The team will next host Barcelona in another major European fixture.

Reyna Gives Strasbourg an Early Lead

Strasbourg took the lead in the 17th minute. Reyna received a pass from Gessime Yassine inside the penalty area, turned and beat goalkeeper Matvey Safonov with a low shot.

Safonov later kept PSG in the contest with an excellent save to deny Conrad Harder shortly after half-time.

Enrique then introduced Dembele and Doue to strengthen the attack.

PSG won a penalty after a VAR review determined that a Doue shot had struck Pape Demba Diop’s arm. However, Dembele sent his spot-kick wide in the 72nd minute.

Enrique acknowledged that PSG did not have a designated penalty specialist.

“We have lots of players who can take them but it is true that we don’t have one specialist,” he said.

Dembele Turns the Game Around

Dembele quickly recovered from the missed penalty. He delivered a cross from the right, allowing Ukraine defender Zabarnyi to equalise with a close-range finish.

Five minutes before the end of normal time, Dembele controlled the ball near the edge of the penalty area and fired home to put PSG ahead.

The goal was his first in Ligue 1 this season. He had already scored three times in the Champions League.

Dembele then helped create PSG’s third goal. After receiving a long clearance from Safonov, he found Ferran Torres, who set up Doue for the stoppage-time finish.

Lille Drop Points as Lens Win

Elsewhere, Lille drew 1-1 with Brest while attempting to recover from their 3-0 Champions League defeat to Arsenal.

Veteran striker Olivier Giroud, 40, scored a penalty to secure a point for Lille.

Lens, another French club competing in the Champions League, earned a 3-1 away victory over Troyes.

PSG reached 14 points from seven league matches. They moved above Lille and Monaco on goals scored, although Monaco still had a chance to overtake them when they faced Lorient on Sunday.

Rennes, Paris FC and Lyon also had opportunities to move above PSG with victories in their Sunday fixtures.