PSG Stays Perfect and Clinical Marseille Beats Unlucky Nice in French League

Paris Saint-Germain's French forward #10 Ousmane Dembele (L) celebrates scoring PSG's first goal with Paris Saint-Germain's Slovak defender #37 Milan Skriniar (R) during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Stade Brestois 29 (Brest) at The Parc des Princes Stadium, in Paris, on September 14, 2024. (AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain's French forward #10 Ousmane Dembele (L) celebrates scoring PSG's first goal with Paris Saint-Germain's Slovak defender #37 Milan Skriniar (R) during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Stade Brestois 29 (Brest) at The Parc des Princes Stadium, in Paris, on September 14, 2024. (AFP)
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PSG Stays Perfect and Clinical Marseille Beats Unlucky Nice in French League

Paris Saint-Germain's French forward #10 Ousmane Dembele (L) celebrates scoring PSG's first goal with Paris Saint-Germain's Slovak defender #37 Milan Skriniar (R) during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Stade Brestois 29 (Brest) at The Parc des Princes Stadium, in Paris, on September 14, 2024. (AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain's French forward #10 Ousmane Dembele (L) celebrates scoring PSG's first goal with Paris Saint-Germain's Slovak defender #37 Milan Skriniar (R) during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Stade Brestois 29 (Brest) at The Parc des Princes Stadium, in Paris, on September 14, 2024. (AFP)

Ousmane Dembele scored twice and Paris Saint-Germain remained perfect and prolific in the French league after beating Brest 3-1 on Saturday.

PSG stayed in command at the top of the standings with a fourth win in as many games.

Luis Enrique's team has coped with the departure of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid and has 16 goals so far.

Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot managed to keep PSG at bay until Dembele leveled the score three minutes before the interval. Romain Del Castillo put Brest ahead from the penalty spot at the Parc des Princes.

PSG then killed any remaining suspense in the space of 80 seconds when Fabian Ruiz scored in the 73rd with a powerful strike and Dembele completed his brace in the next minute.

Despite the millions of euros invested to build a competitive team since a 2011 takeover by Qatari investors, PSG is still chasing an elusive Champions League title. It will host Girona on Wednesday in Europe's top club competition.

Brest, which also qualified for the tournament with a third-place finish last season, plays Sturm Graz on Thursday.

Maupay scores in first Marseille start New Marseille striker Neal Maupay scored against his former club in a 2-0 win over Nice, which hit the woodwork three times.

On a day when Marseille celebrated its 125th anniversary, Maupay was handed his first start by coach Roberto De Zerbi.

Marseille had just five shots on target and scored twice to remain unbeaten, just two points behind PSG.

Maupay joined from English Premier League club Everton on a season loan with an obligation to buy. He was trained at Nice then went on to play 160 Premier League matches with various sides.

Maupay made up for Marseille’s inadequacies in the first half by converting a rare chance in the 40th minute. He headed the ball home past Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka after a cross from Luis Henrique in the penalty area took a deflection.

Marseille enjoyed most of the possession but Nice was the most dangerous side in the first half and Maupay’s opener came after Melvin Bard volleyed onto the left post.

Nice hit the posts two more times after the interval.

Luis Henrique turned provider early in the second half with a beautiful curled shot into the top left corner after a one-two with Amine Harit on the edge of the box.

Marseille finished the match with 10 men after center back Derek Cornelius took too much time over a free kick and received a second yellow card. Nice camped in Marseille's half in the last 10 minutes but good efforts from Marseille goalie Geronimo Rulli coupled with hard luck kept the visitors at bay.

Monaco stays unbeaten Monaco was a class above Auxerre and secured a deserved 3-0 away win with goals from Thilo Kehrer, Vanderson and Denis Zakaria.

The result moved the Principality side level on points with Marseille ahead of next week's Champions League tie with Barcelona.

Auxerre goalkeeper Donovan Leon made a costly mistake after just eight minutes when he fumbled the ball from Kehrer's header and let it in. Auxerre was then forced to take risks and was punished on the counter.

Switzerland midfielder Denis Zakaria was excellent, with one goal and one superb lofted assist for Vanderson.



Emery Delighted with Villa’s Poise under Pressure in Comeback Win over Everton

Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Everton - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - September 14, 2024 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts Action Images via Reuters
Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Everton - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - September 14, 2024 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts Action Images via Reuters
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Emery Delighted with Villa’s Poise under Pressure in Comeback Win over Everton

Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Everton - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - September 14, 2024 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts Action Images via Reuters
Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Everton - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - September 14, 2024 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts Action Images via Reuters

A confident Aston Villa remained patient and made no changes in their game plan after going 2-0 down to Everton, manager Unai Emery said after his side pulled off a 3-2 victory at home in the Premier League on Saturday.

Emery, who last season led Villa to their first top-four finish in the league since 1995-96, was happy with his players' response under pressure, as Ollie Watkins scored a brace and substitute Jhon Duran sealed the win with a long range left-footer.

"Losing 2-0, we were playing well and we were dominating, imposing our positioning and creating chances. We didn´t score and we conceded two opportunities to them and they scored," he told reporters.

"The supporters were really, really understanding of how we could come back the result by being patient, playing with our structure and not changing anything."

The former Arsenal and Paris St Germain manager said Colombia forward Duran, who has come off the bench to score the decisive goal for Villa in three out of four league games this season, has a habit of scoring spectacular long-rangers.

"Jhon Duran did it last year. I remember a goal against Liverpool and Ajax. His shooting is fantastic... when he is trying, we have confidence that he can score a goal like that," Emery said.

The Spaniard also praised Watkins, who found the net for the first time in this campaign.

"We have to be proud of our two strikers," Emery added.

Villa will play their first European top-tier match since 1983 on Tuesday, when they visit Swiss side BSC Young Boys to kick off their Champions League campaign.