PSG on verge of Ligue 1 title with 6-1 rout of Saint-Etienne
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PSG's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scoring their second goal in the 6-1 Ligue 1 away win over Saint-Etienne at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on March 29.
PHOTO: REUTERS
PARIS – Unbeaten Paris Saint-Germain moved within touching distance of the Ligue 1 title with a 6-1 win away to second-from-bottom Saint-Etienne on March 29, boosted by a double from Desire Doue.
PSG sit top on 71 points, 21 clear of second-placed AS Monaco, who beat fourth-placed Nice 2-1 on March 29, with seven games remaining.
They can wrap up a fourth straight Ligue 1 title with at least a point at home to lowly Angers this week.
“We are already champions, we have been for a few weeks now. I think we’ve been the best team in the league from the beginning until now and it’s just an anecdote when we become champions,” PSG coach Luis Enrique told reporters.
“I’d like Nice not to draw against Monaco, so we can celebrate the title with our fans at the Parc des Princes in Paris, we’d love that,” he added ahead of the Nice-Monaco clash.
Saint-Etienne took a surprise early lead through Lucas Stassin’s header, but PSG levelled before the break with a Goncalo Ramos penalty after he was fouled by Florian Tardieu.
The visitors dominated the second half, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia firing home five minutes in, before Doue got their third three minutes later from Bradley Barcola’s assist.
PSG continued to attack and Joao Neves added a fourth in the 62nd minute before Doue scored his second four minutes later.
“The first half wasn’t good for us. We conceded a goal quickly, but the most important thing is that we managed to pull ourselves together in the second half and come away with the win,” Doue said.
“I’m very happy with what’s happening. It’s the beginning of great things, at least I hope so. I’m going to continue working, to always have that desire to play and to do my best for the team,” the 19-year-old forward added.
The hosts, on the brink of relegation, have a penalty shout when Nuno Mendes collided with Stassin in the box, but the decision was overturned after a video assistant referee review.
Substitute Ibrahim Mbaye, 17, completed the rout with his first league goal shortly before the final whistle.
Elsewhere, Marseille slumped to a 3-1 loss at Reims, where Japanese international Keito Nakamura put the home side ahead midway through the first half before Mamadou Diakhon and Valentin Atangana added to the visitors’ misery.
Valentin Rongier scored a spectacular goal to give Marseille hope in the final 15 minutes, but Roberto de Zerbi’s side lost further ground on leaders PSG. They are now 22 points adrift in third and in an increasingly tight scrap for the Champions League places.
Marseille midfielder Adrien Rabiot told beIN Sports: “It hurts to show this kind of spirit. I feel like I’m seeing guys who don’t want to go into the Champions League and don’t want to fight to get a taste of that.” REUTERS, AFP
