Paris Saint-Germain relied on Fabian Ruiz’s sharp finish to grind out a 1-0 victory over Angers in Ligue 1 on Friday, securing their second win in as many matches to start the new domestic campaign.
Luis Enrique’s side, who claimed a historic treble last season capped by their first Champions League triumph in May, were expected to ease past newly promoted Angers at the Parc des Princes.
Yet, despite dominating possession, PSG struggled to break down a stubborn defence and relied on a solitary goal to seal the result. The night began in disjointed fashion for the hosts. PSG controlled territory and tempo but created little of note in the first half.
A peculiar moment arrived midway through when the referee was forced off with an injury, prompting a brief break that Enrique used to issue animated instructions to his players.
Moments later, substitute referee handed PSG a golden chance. Angers defender Marius Courcoul was penalised for a clumsy foul on Joao Neves inside the area.
Up stepped Ousmane Dembele, who had netted 35 goals across all competitions last season. But the French winger blasted his penalty well over the bar — PSG’s first meaningful effort on target wasted in dramatic fashion.
The only other real opportunity before the break fell to 19-year-old Desire Doue, whose curling strike from outside the box drifted just wide of the far post. PSG trudged off at halftime frustrated, having failed to translate their dominance into goals.
The breakthrough finally arrived five minutes into the second half. Doue’s attempted pass inside the penalty area was intercepted by Angers midfielder Haris Belkebla, but the loose ball broke kindly for Fabian Ruiz. The Spaniard made no mistake, driving a low shot into the far corner to give PSG the lead.
From there, Ruiz remained PSG’s most dangerous player. He nearly doubled his tally when he headed narrowly wide from Achraf Hakimi’s cross, before later striking the post with a deflected shot from distance.
Despite their superiority, PSG failed to add a cushion goal. Their much-vaunted attack — usually characterised by quick passing and fluid movement — looked subdued, a reflection of Enrique’s earlier warning that his squad needed more time to regain rhythm following a shortened pre-season due to the Club World Cup final in July.
Angers, though spirited, offered little in attack and rarely threatened Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goal. The visitors’ best chance came from a speculative long-range effort that sailed comfortably wide, underlining the gulf in quality between the two sides.
For PSG, the three points matter more than the performance at this stage. Following last weekend’s narrow 1-0 win over Nantes, another scrappy result was enough to keep them perfect in Ligue 1, even if questions remain about their attacking sharpness.
Luis Enrique was pragmatic afterward, reiterating that “early wins are about building confidence and fitness” rather than spectacle. With tougher challenges ahead, he will hope PSG find their attacking rhythm before long.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
