Paris Saint-Germain secured a 3–1 victory against Le Mans at the Parc des Princes on October 10 during the sixth round of the Ligue 1 season, relying on second-half tactical changes from manager Luis Enrique to overcome a stubborn promoted side.
Lucas Beraldo opens the scoring before Louis Mafouta equalizes
The defending champions entered the fixture with an heavily rotated squad ahead of an upcoming UEFA Champions League fixture against Manchester City. Without Ousmane Dembélé and Nuno Mendes, who were rested, manager Luis Enrique handed starts to players including Dro Fernandez, Mika Godts, and Lucas Beraldo in the midfield. Despite controlling possession, the experimental lineup struggled to establish rhythm against a resolute Le Mans defense.
The deadlock broke in the 19th minute when the video assistant referee penalised Le Mans player Voyer for a handball inside the penalty area. Lucas Beraldo stepped up to convert the resulting penalty kick, putting the hosts ahead 1–0. Le Mans refused to fold and continued to threaten a nervous Paris backline, forcing goalkeeper Matvey Safonov into a crucial one-on-one save against Louis Mafouta in the 29th minute.
Luis Enrique turns to substitutes to spark a comeback
The visiting side’s persistence paid off shortly after halftime. In the 54th minute, Mafouta capitalized on a breakdown inside the Parisian penalty area to sweep home an equalizer, making it 1–1 and stunning the Parc des Princes crowd.
Responding immediately, Luis Enrique introduced a quartet of regular starters: Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz, Warren Zaïre-Emery, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The substitutions altered the momentum instantly. Just three minutes after entering the pitch, Kvaratskhelia restored the lead in the 61st minute by pouncing on a rebound saved by the opposing goalkeeper. Maghnes Akliouche then extended the advantage in the 68th minute, driving a low shot past the near post to net his first official goal in Paris colors and push the score to 3–1.
Late penalty drama and defensive resilience
Le Mans continued to push forward despite the deficit. In the 71st minute, Gueye struck the crossbar past Safonov, and the Russian goalkeeper subsequently produced two vital stops to preserve the two-goal cushion as the match stretched into its closing stages.
In added time, Désiré Doué failed to convert from the penalty spot. A retake was initially awarded to the home side before being overturned by the video assistant referee due to Vitinha entering the area prematurely. The final whistle confirmed a 3–1 win, though the uneven performance highlighted areas for improvement for the capital club.
Player ratings reflect a match of two halves
Goalkeeper Matvey Safonov earned high marks for bailing out a disjointed defense. Le Parisien rated the Russian international a 6 out of 10, noting crucial stops late in the match contrasted with deficiencies in distribution. Conversely, VIPSG awarded him a 7.5 out of 10, citing him as the best Parisian of the night alongside the decisive substitutes, while Goal rated his performance at 7 out of 10 for his sweeping and distribution during extended possession phases.
Along the right flank, captain Achraf Hakimi received a 6 from Le Parisien and a 7 from both VIPSG and Goal, praised for his offensive volume and for constantly stretching the defensive block of Le Mans. In central defense, Illia Zabarnyi picked up a 5 from Le Parisien and a 6 from Goal following a largely disciplined outing that was slightly marred by the collective lapse on Mafouta’s equalizer. Lucas Hernandez earned a 5 from Le Parisien and a 7 from Goal for aggressive tactical positioning, while Lucas Digne collected a 5.5 from Le Parisien and a 7 from Goal for reliable width and crossing accuracy on the left.
Questions remain ahead of European competition
Whether this disjointed performance will prompt tactical revisions ahead of the trip to Manchester City remains unverified by club officials. Public training sessions and pre-match press conferences in the coming days will determine which squad members retain their starting roles for the continental fixture.
