Psg winter champion: Lens reached in the 92nd minute, but what a mistake by Navas

You didn’t even need to win at PSG, to be crowned winter champion. The ephemeral title came thanks to Marseille’s afternoon defeat against Brest (1-2). But then Pochettino’s team did not go beyond the draw against Lens, not at all intimidated by the challenge and which perhaps deserved the three points, at least for the spirit with which he took the field. To the advantage of Fofana, thanks to a mistake by Navas in the place of Donnarumma, Wijnaldum replied, who entered the second half as Mbappé, author of the assist.

Equilibrium

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The first half, however, is consumed in a strange precarious balance. Zero to zero, but the impression is that every action can end online. Especially from the parts of Navas, targeted first by Clauss, on a free kick (24 ‘), then by the Parisian on loan Kalimuendo (27’) and also by Doucouré, with a nice volley from outside (30 ‘). A series of occasions that certainly reflect the attitude of the hosts, who face the match without hesitation, with the intention of going to retrieve balls in the Parisian half and exercise constructive pressure everywhere. The PSG thus suffers, but is always lurking, despite Mbappé on the bench at rest. That it takes little to make a difference is obviously made clear by Messi who, much more mobile and reactive than usual, at 18 ‘splinters the post on the left of Leca. Which then works the miracle at the end of the first round, instinctively on Di Maria’s close touch, fished from the right by Hakimi. In the middle, various proposals especially for Icardi who controls and frames at 37 ‘, but is anticipated in front of goal at 45’ at the end of an intoxicating percussion by Messi, backed by Verratti.

Goals

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At the start of the second half, Di Maria immediately tries, with a left to turn from the edge that ends up on the bottom but by a whisker. Alert that does not cool the Lens that attacks with his head down using the tactical digressions of Pochettino who places Verratti on the flanks and then gives him back a more classic role, leaving total freedom to Messi who often goes down to the median. But it is still Kalimuendo who touches the advantage (7 ‘), who then comes with a shot from outside of Fofana. But on the right from the distance there is also the gross error of Navas who does not hold back (17 ‘). Network that awakens Parisians who, however, do not find fluidity of maneuver. That of Lens instead finds the internal pole on a diagonal by Da Costa, at the end of yet another counterattack orchestrated by Fofana (19 ‘). Then Pochettino plays the Mbappé card, for the too mild Icardi. The Frenchman commits Leca in two minutes, and in the 92nd minute he invents the calibrated cross from the left for the head of Wijnaldum, who took over from Paredes. Equal that is close to the Lens.