Recap: Donovan Léon Frustrates PSG with 11-Save Performance
Match Reports
Paris Saint-Germain and AJ Auxerre played to a scoreless draw on Friday night at Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps. While there were no goals in the match, there was a spectacular performance from Donovan Léon.
In the first half, PSG recorded seven total shots on target while the home side recorded one. Léon was the star in the first half, making four saves to keep the visitors off the scoresheet as neither team broke the scoreless deadlock heading into halftime.
Entering the final 45 minutes, Léon remained the star of the contest as the 32-year-old made seven saves to deny Luis Enrique and his team a goal. The Parisians recorded 18 total shots in the second half, but they couldn't beat the veteran goalkeeper.
After the match, Enrique spoke with DAZN and credited Léon for his performance and for keeping his squad off the scoresheet while trying to remain positive as they're currently on a three-match winless streak across all competitions.
"I think we were persistent. Today, the goalkeeper was very strong. We had 25 chances, and Auxerre is the second-best team at home. We will listen to the criticism. We won’t lose our faith, we will keep insisting. The world behind us is so negative, but I am happy with the team."
"We need to continue thinking positively. We are a team that needs certainties and mobility. We want to impose our superiority. I don’t have the magic formula, but it will come."
Willian Pacho also spoke to DAZN and noted that he liked how the team played, but the inability to beat the goalkeeper is what can happen in football, and they now have to turn the page.
"I really liked our mentality, but that's football. Today, we need to focus on the next match. Sometimes we win, sometimes we don't. We will need to analyze this match in the right way."
The Stat: Donovan Léon joins impressive group
Several goalkeepers have delivered standout performances in Europe's top five leagues this season. In September, Mads Hermansen of Leicester City made 13 saves against Arsenal, while in November, Nediljko Labrovic of Augsburg stopped 11 shots against Bayern Munich, and on Friday, Léon of Auxerre matched that feat with 11 saves against PSG.
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