Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Lyon: Super-subs Mayulu and Godts send hosts top
Senny Mayulu and Mika Godts came off the bench to secure a 2-0 victory over Lyon and send Paris Saint-Germain top of Ligue 1.
For much of the contest, both sides struggled to find the quality needed to make the difference. It was Luis Enrique’s substitutes who eventually supplied it: Mayulu broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute from a Godts cutback, before the Belgian added the second 12 minutes later.
PSG threatened early when Desire Doue skipped past four Lyon defenders, only to shoot tamely at Dominik Greif, while Fabian Ruiz volleyed wide. Ferran Torres then dragged an effort off target after Lyon lost possession inside their own half, before Greif stretched out a leg to deny him from a tight angle.
Lyon applied pressure before the interval, with Julien Duranville and Zachary Athekame both testing Matvey Safonov. At the other end, Maghnes Akliouche had two late first-half chances, but Greif saved comfortably.
Just after the break, Joao Neves teed himself up for a spectacular free-kick but sent it high and wide. Ferran was again thwarted by Greif from a tight angle, leaving the hosts still searching for a breakthrough.
The bench makes the difference
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72′
Mayulu breaks through
Ferran’s replacement drilled Godts’ cutback into the bottom-left corner after a flowing team move.
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84′
Godts seals the points
Quentin Ndjantou lifted a superb long ball over the top for Godts to chase, and the Belgian fired past Greif from the edge of the box.
PSG leave it late again
The match had been pushed back 24 hours because of civil unrest in the French capital. PSG arrived on a seven-game winning streak in all competitions, although their 4-2 Champions League victory over Barcelona had come at a cost.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury, while Ousmane Dembele and Marquinhos were also sidelined. Against Lyon, PSG’s depth proved decisive as their persistence finally paid off after 70 largely frustrating minutes.
The reigning champions have now gained 12 points from goals scored after the 60th minute this season. Godts was central to this latest late success, contributing a goal and an assist.
Lyon had led the table heading into the weekend but dropped to third after defeat. Their opportunities were limited, with eight shots producing 0.62 expected goals. PSG registered 17 shots worth 0.87 xG, finding the finishing quality they needed through their substitutes.
| Statistic | PSG | Lyon |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 17 | 8 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 0.87 | 0.62 |
