Debut goal for Dro as PSG thump ten-man Nice
Needing a win to reclaim first place ahead of RC Lens, Paris Saint-Germain authored a comprehensive victory over Nice at the Allianz Riviera -- catch up on the action from the Côte d'Azur with our match report.
A hard-fought first half
The match, with started with a tribute to Dante, was seen as potential a safety-sealing encounter for Les Aiglons, even with Auxerre having won earlier in the day. Claude Puel wasted nothing in his eleven, and even handed a first start of the season to Youssouf Ndayishimiye. As for PSG, off the back of their midweek trip to London to face Chelsea in the Champions League, Luis Enrique opted to rest key players (Ousmane Dembélé, Marquinhos, Achraf Hakimi).
Of the two sides, Nice started the more lively, trying to spring the offside trap with long balls. On nine minutes, the first chance of the match would fall to the visitors though, as Warren Zaïre-Emery, who had a shot from edge of area blocked. Three minutes later, PSG continued to grow into the match, with Désiré Doué playing in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but the Georgian was denied from a tight angle by Yehvann Diouf. Nice would have perhaps their best chance of the half on 17 minutes, as Jonathan Clauss sent in a free kick to the back post, but an unmarked Ndayishimiye was unable to control.
Undeterred, PSG were back on the front foot soon after, but a low shot by Kvaratskhelia across goal was deflected just wide (19'). The Georgian was again unlucky on 34 minutes, when Diouf unwisely came off his line, but Juma Bah was able to hack his effort clear. Les Aiglons' luck would finally end on 38 minutes when a shot by Doué came off the hand of Morgan Sanson, and Nuno Mendes converted the penalty to give his side the lead. Nice would have a final chance of the half but Melvin Bard looped a header over the bar in the third minute of added time.
The champions are back on top! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/31StlcbWKs
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) March 21, 2026
From bad to worse for Nice
It would only take five minutes after the break for PSG to double their lead, and Mendes was once again involved, bursting forward to square the ball for Doué who eagerly made it 2-0. Just past the hour, though, any hope of Nice coming back into the match was well and truly extinguished with a high boot by Ndayishimiye on Lee Kang-In, for which he was sent off. With the man advantage, PSG continued to reach for more, and it took a fine save from Diouf on the break to deny Doué having a double.
Into the final quarter of the match, Kvara had yet another chance, this time putting the ball into the net, but the offside flag had gone up. With ten minutes to play, PSG showed off their sublime ability for combination play that resulted in a first goal for January signing Dro Fernández, who gleefully finished off a through ball by Dembélé, before Zaïre-Emery sealed the result on 86', giving PSG a one-point lead and a game in hand atop the table.
