TOULOUSE: Fabian Ruiz’s second-half strike secured a 1-0 win for Paris St-Germain at Toulouse on Saturday, extending the visitors’ unbeaten run as well as their lead at the top of Ligue 1.

The Parisians, who have not lost in the league all season, top the table with 56 points from 22 games, 10 clear of second-placed Olympique de Marseille, while Toulouse are 10th on 27.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lee Kang-In, Desire Doue and Lucas Hernandez all had chances to break the deadlock in the first half as Toulouse struggled to find their rhythm.

The visitors finally found the net seven minutes after the break when Willian Pacho’s header hit the crossbar and the rebound fell to Fabian Ruiz, who slotted home from close range.

“On the wings, it was hard to find space. We wanted to keep possession, we had chances and in the end one goal was enough,” said Ruiz.

“No matter where I am playing, what I want is to keep competing and do my best,” he added.

PSG had several chances to extend their lead, going closest when Bradley Barcola’s shot was brilliantly saved by substitute goalkeeper Kjetil Haug after Guillaume Restes was forced off through injury late in the first half.

The hosts struggled to create any real opportunities, but held firm at the back to deny PSG another goal.

PSG are the fourth French top flight team to avoid defeat in their first 22 matches, but Luis Enrique said going the season unbeaten was not among their targets.

“The objective is to win the league, if we can achieve that, it’s perfect. There is no objective to remain undefeated,” he said.

Earlier, new signing Amine Gouiri scored twice for Olympique de Marseille as Roberto De Zerbi’s side cruised to a 5-1 victory against a struggling Saint-Etienne side who occupy the relegation play-off position.

Gouiri — who joined from Rennes late in the January transfer window — opened his account to give Marseille a single-goal lead at the interval, before Mason Greenwood made it 2-0 from a penalty five minutes into the second half.

Amir Murillo made it 3-0 and Gouiri got his second of the afternoon to make it four for the hosts, with Adrien Rabiot adding a fifth as he scored for the third game running.

Lucas Stassin pulled one back for Saint-Etienne, who remain in real danger of an immediate return to Ligue 2.

Meanwhile, AS Monaco showed no mercy for struggling Nantes as they claimed a huge 7-1 win at the Stade Louis II.

Danish striker Mika Biereth scored a hat-trick in a second consecutive home Ligue 1 game. Biereth, a January signing from Sturm Graz of Austria, also netted three times in a 4-2 home win over Auxerre two weeks ago and now has seven goals in seven appearances for his new club.

Matthis Abline had given Nantes an early lead in the principality, but former Arsenal youngster Biereth equalised and Japanese international Takumi Minamino put the hosts ahead in first-half stoppage time.

Eliesse Ben Seghir made it 3-1 before Biereth netted twice more, including from a penalty, to complete his hat-trick.

Two late goals from teenage Nigerian substitute George Ilenikhena then finished off the scoring, as Monaco warmed up for the return leg against Benfica coming up in Lisbon on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2025