PARIS: Ousmane Dembele’s second-half brace and goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Vitinha steered Paris St Germain to a 4-1 home win over AS Monaco on Friday, preserving their unbeaten run and extending their lead in Ligue 1.

PSG, who announced contract extensions for coach Luis Enrique, Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, and Vitinha before the match, secured their 16th win in 21 games to reach 53 points, 13 ahead of second-placed Marseille, who have a game in hand.

Vitinha opened the scoring just six minutes in when he sent his low free kick inside the near post to beat the Monaco goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki, who got his hand on the ball but could not prevent the Portuguese’s goal.

The visitors managed to overcome PSG’s early dominance and Denis Zakaria equalised by scoring from a tight angle off Soungoutou Magassa’s fine through ball in the 17th minute.

While both sides had chances to grab the lead before halftime, it was former Napoli winger Kvaratskhelia who put the hosts ahead again with his first goal for the club after brilliantly cutting inside a defender in the box in the 54th minute.

Ligue 1 leading scorer Dembele extended the advantage just three minutes later after a one-two with Desire Doue, and the 27-year-old winger sealed the rout in the 90th minute with his 16th league goal this season.

“In the end we deserved the victory but it was very difficult as it always is against Monaco,” said coach Luis Enrique.

The Parisians have not lost in domestic competition this season, and now head into a Champions League knockout phase play-off tie against French rivals Brest, with the first leg in Brittany on Tuesday.

Friday’s result means PSG have lost just one of their last 61 games against French opposition going back to September 2023.

Monaco had been hoping to cause an upset and boost confidence before hosting Benfica on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie, but this was the third time in a little over seven weeks they had lost to PSG.

“Compliments Luis Enrique and his team. They are one of the best teams for me at the moment in Europe,” said Monaco’s Austrian coach, Adi Huetter. “For me they are also a candidate to win the Champions League. PSG with their quality especially up front can be a threat for every team.”

Facing this PSG side next is an ominous prospect for Brest, who warmed up for their Champions League date with a 2-0 win at western rivals Nantes.

Ludovic Ajorque put them ahead early on and Pierre Lees-Melou made sure of the win at the death as Brest climbed provisionally up to seventh, above Lyon.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2025