Match Reports
Recap: PSG edge Monaco in six-goal thriller!
One-way traffic in the first half
Despite some notable absences for the hosts (Denis Zakaria, Radoslaw Majecki, Folarin Balogun), Adi Hütter's young side were well up for the encounter, but it would take some time for them to come grips with the game. Achraf Hakimi had the match's first good chance, but his effort on four minutes struck the post. From there, the match would settle until an unfortunate collision between Wilfried Singo and Gianluigi Donnarumma that saw the Italy international forced off with a deep gash to his face.
With Matvey Safonov on his place, PSG were quick to take the lead, and Hakimi was again involved, playing a square ball to Doué to give the visitors the lead midway through the first half. The match then again slowed somewhat until just before the halftime whistle, when Philipp Köhn (who would finish with eight saves) made a flurry of saves to preserve the one-goal difference between the two sides
What a showdown in the last game of the year 🇫🇷😍⚽️ pic.twitter.com/EK4ItOGl39
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) December 18, 2024
Monaco respond, but PSG have the last word
Whatever Hütter told his side at the break, it had a profound effect as youngster Eliesse Ben Seghir coolly slotted home a penalty on 50 minutes, before Breel Embolo put the hosts aside on the hour mark, punching home a cross from Maghnes Akliouche. Undeterred, PSG would respond nearly immediately as Köhn's initial save was parried into the path of Dembélé, who gladly put the two sides back on level terms midway through the second half.
Wanting to secure all three points to end 2024 in the best possible way, Enrique made a trio of substitutions, and two of those combined with seven minutes to play. Back fit after a lengthy injury lay-off, Gonçalo Ramos scored his third goal in as many matches, nodding in Lee Kang-In's corner to put the capital side ahead. Monaco responded in kind, and pushed hard for an equalizer, with Safonov making a fine save from Minamino in added time, but a sublime chip from Dembélé on the counter deep in stoppage time would seal the result.
While this is the last league match for both sides in the calendar year, both are in action this weekend in the Coupe de France. Monaco will travel to Toulouse to take on sixth-tier side L'Union Saint-Jean, while PSG play what is perhaps the marquee encounter of the round, traveling to face RC Lens on Sunday evening.
The stat: 32
Paris Saint-Germain are now unbeaten in their last 32 away matches in Ligue 1 McDonald's. Their last loss on the road came in 2023 and only two sides (AC Milan in 1991-3 and Bayern Munich in 2012-14) have enjoyed longer runs in Europe's top five leagues
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