PSG Falls Late with Off-Day for Messi and Mbappé , Balogun Shines On Loan from Arsenal for Reims
League-Leading French Club Drops Points for 5th Time This Season with Draw. Here is all you need to know about PSG Falls Late with Off-Day for Messi and Mbappé.
About the match
Arsenal’s outstanding performance this season has put them at the top of the English Premier League, five points ahead of second-placed Manchester City with a game in hand. The impact of this North London club was felt in France as well, where Gunners loanee Folarin Balogun played a key role in a 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1.
The draw marked PSG’s fifth dropped point of the season, with Neymar Jr. scoring for the home team in the first half. But deep in stoppage time, Balogun stepped up to equalize for the visiting side and secure a hard-fought point in the French capital.
Balogun capitalized on a through ball from the center and expertly rounded PSG’s goalkeeper Donnarumma before tucking the ball into an empty net from a difficult angle.
In the match, PSG’s star players Leonardo Messi and K Mbappé, who were part of France’s World Cup-winning team in 2022, had a below-par outing. Mbappe, who recently scored five goals in PSG’s 7-0 win in the Coupe de France, was unable to convert or create opportunities against 11th-placed Reims. Similarly, Messi, who had just led Argentina to their first World Cup win in 36 years, was also unproductive.
What Reims manager said?
Reims manager William Still expressed his joy after the match, saying “We showed quality both with and without the ball. We were a team on the field, ready, proud, and not intimidated to play at Parc des Princes. We had no complexes. The goal we conceded was frustrating, but that’s part of the game. We persevered, did not lose hope, and were rewarded in the end.”
Still continued, “Playing against 10 men can be difficult as it changes the situation. You lose your sense of direction and we had a period of aimlessness for 10, 15, or 20 minutes because we knew that PSG’s biggest threat was in transition. We wanted to trap them, aware of how quick K Mbappé can be. After the red card, we had to adjust and push forward. I told the players after the game that taking a point was positive, but it won’t matter if we don’t beat Lorient.”
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