Ousmane Dembele’s brace leads PSG to a historic victory over rivals Marseille, sending a strong message in the title race.
PARIS: Ousmane Dembele struck twice as Paris Saint-Germain demolished bitter rivals Marseille 5-0 at the Parc des Princes on Sunday. The emphatic win reclaimed top spot in Ligue 1 for the reigning champions.
Dembele opened the scoring after just 12 minutes and added a second before half-time in a dominant display. An own goal from Facundo Medina and late strikes from substitutes Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Lee Kang-in completed the rout, marking PSG’s biggest-ever margin of victory over Marseille.
“It was almost perfect. We made history,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique, who hailed Dembele for an “incredible” performance. He described the forward as a “very special” player who has battled injuries this season to regain his level.
The victory avenged a 1-0 defeat at the Velodrome in September and extended PSG’s winning league run to seven matches. They remain under pressure from surprise challengers Lens, who sit just two points behind.
“It’s not a message we’re sending, we’re a very consistent team,” added Luis Enrique. “We’re reaching the best part of the season, and this result is important in terms of confidence.”
The match began controversially as PSG midfielder Vitinha escaped with only a yellow card for a high, studs-up challenge on Marseille captain Leonardo Balerdi. The referee was not instructed by VAR to review the incident.
PSG surged ahead soon after, with Dembele slotting home from Nuno Mendes’s cross. Marseille offered little threat, with Matfei Safonov denying Amine Gouiri in a rare chance for the visitors.
Dembele doubled the lead with a superb individual effort, rifling past goalkeeper Jeffrey de Lange on 37 minutes. Medina’s own goal made it 3-0 before Kvaratskhelia, returning from an ankle injury, volleyed in a fourth.
Lee Kang-in completed the scoring with a low drive, and PSG hit the woodwork twice late on through Kvaratskhelia and Mendes. The heavy defeat compounds a miserable period for Marseille, who suffered a painful Champions League exit just a week ago.