Dembélé reaches 20 league goals for PSG as unbeaten French leader wins 4-1 at Rennes

By Canadian Press on March 8, 2025.

PARIS (AP) — Ousmane Dembélé came off the bench to score twice and help a shaky Paris Saint-Germain win 4-1 at Rennes on Saturday to stay unbeaten in Ligue 1.

Bradley Barcola got one goal and set up another as PSG moved 16 points ahead of second-placed Marseille, which hosted Lens later Saturday.

PSG coach Luis Enrique rested captain Marquinhos ahead of the return leg at Liverpool in the last 16 of the Champions League next Tuesday. PSG lost the first leg 1-0 despite dominating.

Dembélé was joined on the bench by right back Achraf Hakimi, winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

PSG controlled the first half but made many mistakes after the break as Rennes attacked strongly, before Dembélé wrapped up the win late on.

Barcola put PSG ahead in the 28th minute when he placed the ball through goalkeeper Brice Samba’s legs. Ludovic Blas almost equalized moments later and 17-year-old striker Mohamed Meïté headed against the crossbar.

Barcola broke down the left again and picked out striker Gonçalo Ramos in the 50th for 2-0. Three minutes later, sloppy defending allowed defender Lilian Brassier to pull one back and it galvanized Rennes, which came close to equalizing several times.

An awful mistake from PSG defender Lucas Beraldo saw him pass to Meïté, giving him an easy chance from six meters. But the young striker hesitated to shoot with his weaker left foot and his tame shot with his right was blocked.

Dembélé’s stoppage-time brace took him this season to 20 league goals for the first time.

All the players had “WO=MAN” written on the back of their jerseys instead of their names as part of the French league’s initiative centered around International Women’s Day.

In Saturday’s other game, Lille faced rock-bottom Montpellier.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press