PARIS: Paris St-Germain manager Luis Enrique was pleased with his side’s efficiency as they took their chances clinically in a comprehensive 4-2 victory at Angers in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

PSG bounced back after a disappointing midweek home loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League by producing a dominant first-half performance to remain unbeaten in Ligue 1.

Enrique, who said on Friday there was a “blockage in finishing”, highlighted the improvement in attack.

“It was a very complete game for our team ... It was a game with a lot at stake. We were extremely efficient,” Enrique told a news conference. “The blockage we talked about earlier is going to end sooner or later. We’re in a process of improving.”

While PSG lead the Ligue 1 table with 29 points, six clear of second-placed AS Monaco, their qualifying chances in Europe have shrunk as they sit 25th in the 36-team league, just in the elimination zone, midway through the group phase.

But Enrique is confident his side will show their quality in Europe’s elite club competition to reverse their poor form.

“This team has good players. The quality is there. No matter who’s on the pitch, even the newcomers,” he said.

“Maybe it is a question of pressure (in the Champions League). But we’re going to score a lot of goals. The quality is there to rise to the challenge”

Lee Kang-in and Bradley Barcola both scored twice in the first half to ensure the win for the visitors at Stade Raymond Kopa.

Lee opened the scoring on 17 minutes with a shot that crossed the line before Angers defender Jordan Lefort managed to clear, and he struck again just three minutes later from Marco Asensio’s low centre.

Barcola, Ligue 1’s leading scorer, then took centre stage by firing in his team’s third goal just after the half-hour mark and adding another with a header from Lee’s cross to make it 4-0 in first-half stoppage time.

PSG took the foot off the pedal late on, allowing 15th-placed Angers to score twice in stoppage time at the end of the game through a fine volley by Esteban Lepaul and an Emmanuel Biumla goal.

Earlier, Monaco staged a late fightback to win 3-1 at Stras­bourg, with Eliesse Ben Seghir scoring twice as they moved three points clear of Olympique de Marseille in second.

Liam Rosenior’s Strasbourg were unbeaten at home this season and went in front just before the half-hour through Ivory Coast international Guela Doue.

However, the visitors won a penalty when a Ben Seghir shot was stopped just in front of the line by the arm of Diego Moreira.

Young Moroccan international Ben Seghir stroked in the spot-kick to equalise in the 79th minute and then converted a Maghnes Akliouche assist to put his side ahead with a minute of the 90 remaining.

Stunned Strasbourg conceded again straight from the restart as Saidou Sow was cau­ght in possession, allowing Nige­rian substitute George Ilen­i­khena to run through and finish.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Lens also produced a late fightback as Nigerian midfielder Hamzat Ojediran and Adrien Thom­asson both scored in the final five minutes, allowing them to win 3-2 at home to Nantes.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2024