PSG ‘fight’ to extend lead atop of Ligue 1 with Lens win

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique said his side had to “fight” to open up a six-point gap over second-placed Monaco in Ligue 1 with a 1-0 home win over Lens on Saturday.

A single Ousmane Dembele goal was enough for PSG to take full advantage of title rivals Monaco’s latest stutter after the principality side lost at home to lowly Angers on Friday.

Luis Enrique’s side sit top of the table on 26 points, six ahead of Monaco with third-place Lille a further two points adrift.

“It’s a justified victory that we had to fight for,” Luis Enrique said.

“We could have scored two or three goals more but we weren’t efficient.”

For Will Still’s Lens, they remain just outside the European spots in seventh place with 14 points.

The champions swept into the lead on four minutes as Dembele tucked home a cross following good wing play by Bradley Barcola, bringing up his fifth league goal of the season.

The 27-year-old totaled just three goals in Ligue 1 during his first season at PSG last year.

Fabian Ruiz was denied 10 minutes later by the foot of Brice Samba after Achraf Hakimi had teed him up inside the box.

Lens’ chances of an equaliser took a hit on 20 minutes when attacker Florian Sotoca was forced off with a thigh issue.

Samba then denied Marco Asensio in the 34th minute as PSG pushed forward in search of a second goal.

The hosts peppered the Lens goal as half-time approached but had to remain content with their narrow lead going into the second period.

Just before the hour, Lens were reduced to 10 men as a VAR review adjudged Abdukodir Khusanov’s tackle to have been high and he was given his marching orders.

Only a fine fingertip save from Samba against Barcola in the 73rd minute kept the visitors’ chances alive.

PSG’s level then dropped as the second half progressed but already a goal and a man to the good, they were able to hold Lens at arm’s length and close out the three points.

Later on Saturday, Nice moved up to fifth with a 1-0 win at Champions League new boys Brest while Saint-Etienne rose out of the relegation zone thanks to a 2-0 victory over Strasbourg.