Ligue 1: Le Havre delays PSG’s title by securing a draw at the Parc des Princes
The evening could have been that of the 12th title, won at home in front of their audience, but the Parisians will still have to wait. With some senior players left to rest, and others whose playing time was limited, PSG was held in check by Le Havre, Saturday April 27 (3-3), on the occasion of the 31st day of Ligue 1 while the lead was already in Dortmund for the semi-final first leg of the Champions League, next Wednesday. The Parisians will have to wait either for a draw or a defeat for Monaco on Sunday in Lyon, or for the next day of the championship, to be crowned champions of France again.
Like supporters met on the square of the Parc des Princes before the match and who “honestly” didn’t think “only in the Champions League” rather than the possibility of winning a tenth coronation in twelve seasons, Luis Enrique’s players did not seem completely involved in their meeting against promoted Le Havre on Saturday evening. The Spanish coach had chosen to rest Gianluigi Donnarumma, Lucas Hernandez, Nuno Mendes and Fabian Ruiz, and not to start Kylian Mbappé. By playing too laterally, and not enough forward, at a senator’s pace, his team had a hard time finding the fault against the low Norman block.
One figure illustrates this: in the first period, despite 75% possession, Bradley Barcola scored on the only shot on target in the first period (29th), well served by Warren Zaire-Emery, whose announcement of the extension until 2029 came to brighten up the evening. But against the flow of play, Le Havre opened the scoring with their first dangerous offensive thanks to Christopher Opéri (19th). Under heavy rain, the Parisians experienced a second cold shower a few minutes before the break, with HAC’s second goal signed André Ayew (38th), the former Marseille player copiously insulted by the local supporters.
At half-time, and still with a view to managing playing time, Luis Enrique made three changes including the exit of Ousmane Dembélé, the best Parisian in the first period, and the entry of Kylian Mbappé. His team continued to monopolize the ball in the Normandy area, but once again left space behind them, which allowed a Le Havre counter to result in a penalty for a foul by Danilo on Loïc Nego. Abdoulaye Touré converted it and gave some air to his team (61st), who are the first promoted to score three goals at the Parc des Princes since Montpellier 14 years ago.
But valiant, the Le Havre could only delay the deadline, and Achraf Hakimi revived his team (78th). As the prospect of a title on Saturday evening vanished, the Parisians stepped up the pace and Gonçalo Ramos, unfortunate ten minutes earlier against Arthur Desmas, heroic with a header, snatched the equalization (90th+5). PSG thus avoids a second defeat this season in the championship, but will still have to wait to be crowned.
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