Ligue 1 Roundup: PSG Beat Metz As Lens Reclaim Top Spot In Tight Title Race

‎From teenage brilliance in Paris Saint-Germain colors to defensive disasters, crowd trouble, and a seven-goal thriller that left fans breathless.

‎As the title race tightens and pressure mounts across the table, this weekend emphasized just how dramatic the season has become.

‎PSG returns to the top briefly

‎Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain reclaimed top spot in Ligue 1 on Saturday with a thrilling 3-2 away win against Metz, a match that placed the club’s youth academy firmly in the spotlight.

‎At the heart of PSG’s success was teenage forward Ibrahim Mbaye, whose rapid rise continues to captivate French football. Just months ago, Mbaye was sitting for his high school diploma exams. Now, he is deciding Ligue 1 matches. The 16-year-old, already the youngest player to start a league game for PSG, delivered a performance that displayed both his composure and creativity.

‎PSG opened the scoring in the 31st minute through Gonçalo Ramos, who finished clinically to give the visitors control. Mbaye then took center stage.

‎Eight minutes later, he surged down the left flank and delivered a precise cross that was turned in by 18-year-old Quentin Ndjantou.

‎It was a landmark moment for Ndjantou, his first goal for the club, and another reminder of PSG’s growing reliance on homegrown talent.

‎Metz responded just before halftime when midfielder Jessy Deminguet pulled a goal back, setting up a tense second half.

‎However, PSG’s youth continued to make the difference. Mbaye’s vision unlocked the Metz defense once more, releasing Désiré Doué on a devastating counterattack. The 20-year-old sprinted clear and calmly finished to restore PSG’s two-goal cushion.

‎Metz refused to fade quietly. Georgian midfielder Georgiy Tsitaichvili produced a moment of magic in the 81st minute, curling a superb strike past goalkeeper Matveï Safonov to reduce the deficit to 3-2 and inject late drama into the contest.

‎Despite mounting pressure, PSG held firm to secure all three points and move two points clear of Lens at least temporarily.

‎Rennes Capitalizes on Brest Errors as Lala Struggles

‎While PSG celebrated youthful excellence, Brest endured a nightmare afternoon at Rennes, falling to a 3-1 defeat largely shaped by individual errors.

‎Brest had started brightly, with striker Mama Baldé scoring early to put the visitors ahead. However, defender Kenny Lala soon became an unwilling protagonist.

‎Rennes equalized in the 24th minute after Lala lost control of the ball under minimal pressure, allowing Mousa Al-Taamari to burst down the left and cross for Estéban Lepaul to finish.

‎Barely a minute later, Lala’s afternoon unraveled further. A mistimed first-time back pass on the halfway line gifted Al-Taamari a clear run on goal, and the Jordan winger made no mistake with his finish.

‎Rennes sealed the win late on when 18-year-old Mohamed Kader Meïté turned in Quentin Merlin’s cross, compounding Brest’s misery and leaving Lala at the center of post-match scrutiny.

‎Trouble Off the Pitch Before Metz Clash

‎The drama surrounding PSG’s visit to Metz was not confined to the pitch. Several hours before kickoff, rival supporters clashed in a brief but intense street fight near the stadium.

‎Online footage showed around 70 to 80 individuals involved before riot police intervened and dispersed the crowd using tear gas.

‎While the incident did not disrupt the match itself, it raised fresh concerns about supporter violence and security surrounding high-profile Ligue 1 fixtures.

‎Nice’s Crisis Deepens as Lens Reclaims Top Spot

‎Sunday brought further twists at the top of the table, as Lens took advantage of PSG’s brief lead to move back into first place with a composed 2-0 home win over Nice.

‎Striker Odsonne Édouard proved decisive, scoring twice with near-identical glancing headers from Matthieu Udol’s crosses. His first came in the 15th minute, catching the Nice defense flat-footed, before he repeated the feat just after the hour mark.

‎For Nice, the defeat marked another grim chapter in a season spiraling out of control. It was their ninth consecutive loss in all competitions, leaving them 13th in Ligue 1 and rooted to the bottom of their Europa League group after losing all six matches.

‎Despite heavy investment from owners Ineos since their takeover six years ago, Nice appears directionless. Fan frustration has begun to spill over, with reports of supporters confronting players amid growing unrest.

‎Lens, by contrast, continues to defy expectations. After 16 rounds, they sit one point clear of PSG at the summit, reinforcing their status as genuine title contenders rather than early-season pretenders.

‎Lille Edge Seven-Goal Classic in Auxerre Chaos

‎Few matches encapsulated Ligue 1’s volatility better than Lille’s extraordinary 4-3 victory away at Auxerre a game defined by goals, red cards, and relentless momentum swings.

‎Lille struck early through Icelandic midfielder Hákon Haraldsson but were reduced to 10 men before halftime when defender Nathan Ngoy was sent off.

‎Auxerre capitalized after the break, equalizing through Lassine Sinayoko in the 57th minute.

‎The numerical imbalance didn’t last long. Auxerre defender Clément Akpa received a second yellow card moments later, restoring parity in player numbers.

‎The hosts then surged ahead in the 66th minute when Lille defender Chancel Mbemba inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.

‎What followed was a frantic spell of attacking football. Nabil Bentaleb thundered home a long-range strike to level the score before 18-year-old substitute Soriba Diaoune, on for 39-year-old Olivier Giroud, scored his first senior goal to put Lille ahead once more.

‎Auxerre equalized yet again from the penalty spot through Sinayoko, only for Lille captain Benjamin André to deliver the decisive blow three minutes later with the winning goal.

‎Even then, the chaos was not over. Lille defender Romain Perraud and Auxerre midfielder Oussama El-Azzouzi were both sent off following a confrontation on the touchline.

‎Lille’s dramatic victory lifted them provisionally three points ahead of Marseille in the race for the Champions League places.

‎Lyon, Strasbourg, and the Quiet Battles Elsewhere

‎Away from the headlines, Lyon continued their steady climb up the table with a narrow 1-0 win over Le Havre. Goalkeeper Dominik Greif proved crucial by saving Issa Soumaré’s first-half penalty before Czech midfielder Pavel Šulc scored the winner early in the second half with a diving header his seventh goal of the season.

‎Strasbourg ended a run of three straight defeats but failed to make home advantage count, settling for a goalless draw against Lorient in a match low on chances and intensity.