Paris Saint-Germain took a significant step towards advancing to the next round of the Champions League with a convincing 3-0 victory over Brest in the first leg of their play-off tie. The French giants were dominant throughout the match, with Ousmane Dembele scoring a double to take his tally to 23 goals for the season.
The match was played at the Stade de Roudourou in Guingamp, and PSG were overwhelming favorites coming into the tie. They did not disappoint, taking the lead through a Vitinha penalty in the 22nd minute. The penalty was awarded after Dembele’s shot struck the arm of Pierre Lees-Melou inside the Brest box.
Brest had a few chances to equalize, but PSG’s defense held firm. The French giants then doubled their lead just before halftime, with Dembele cutting in from the right and beating the goalkeeper at his near post. The goal was a testament to Dembele’s pace and skill, and it gave PSG a comfortable advantage going into the second half.
The second half was more of the same, with PSG dominating possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities. Dembele scored his second goal of the match in the 66th minute, trying to feed Bradley Barcola and then seeing the ball break back to him before shooting past the goalkeeper with the aid of a deflection.
PSG’s victory was a significant one, as it gives them a crucial advantage in the tie. The French giants will now travel to Paris for the second leg, where they will look to complete the job and advance to the next round of the Champions League.
Brest, on the other hand, will need to produce a remarkable performance in the second leg to turn the tie around. The French side has not defeated PSG in any competition in 40 years, and they will need to overcome a significant deficit to advance to the next round.
PSG’s coach, Luis Enrique, was delighted with his team’s performance, praising their dominance and clinical finishing. “We played a great game, and we deserved the win,” Enrique said. “We created many chances and scored three goals, which is a great result.”
The second leg of the tie will take place next Wednesday in Paris, where PSG will look to complete the job and advance to the next round of the Champions League. Assuming they make it through, PSG will face either Liverpool or Barcelona in the last 16.