Paris Saint-Germain displayed the true depth of their European champion pedigree on Friday, romping to a dominant 5-1 victory over bottom-placed Le Havre at the Stade Oceane. Despite managing a growing injury list that sidelined several key regulars, manager Luis Enrique was able to rotate his squad effectively, leaving critical stars on the bench while still engineering a devastating offensive masterclass.
The emphatic win extends PSG’s winning streak to nine consecutive matches across all competitions. More importantly, it pushes the capital club to 20 points from their opening nine league fixtures of the campaign, establishing a comfortable two-point cushion at the summit of the Ligue 1 standings.
While the reigning champions navigated their squad rotation smoothly, the rest of the French top-flight continued to experience turbulent shifts behind them. Lille capitalized on the weekend’s fixtures to climb into second place, moving two points behind PSG and four ahead of third-placed Rennes. Veteran striker Olivier Giroud proved his enduring quality once again, stepping off the bench to score a decisive 86th-minute winner that secured a hard-fought 1-0 derby victory for Lille over visiting RC Lens.
Rennes, meanwhile, suffered a heavy 5-2 drubbing away at Nice. The Riviera side continued their impressive upward trajectory under their current run of form, notching their fourth victory in their last five outings. Elye Wahi stole the show for Nice with a brilliant hat-trick, propelling his side up to seventh place in the standings—a stark and welcome contrast for a club that narrowly avoided the nightmare of relegation during the previous season.
An All-Round Display from Hakimi
Friday night’s fixture belonged entirely to Achraf Hakimi. Operating from his customary flying-fullback role, the Morocco international delivered a historic individual performance at the Stade Oceane. Beyond his stunning hat-trick, Hakimi orchestrated the Parisian attack with clinical precision, contributing two assists during a match that turned into a one-sided affair after a surprising early warning from the hosts.
Le Havre entered the fixture rooted to the bottom of the table with just two points from their opening matches and suffering from a dismal run of five consecutive defeats. Yet, for a brief moment in front of their home supporters, the relegation-threatened side dared to dream. Josh Maja stunned the visiting giants by finding the back of the net to give Le Havre a shock early lead, briefly putting the European champions on the back foot.
PSG, however, quickly demonstrated why they rule both domestic and continental football. Hakimi initiated the response by setting up Mika Godts, who calmly slotted home the equalizer to restore parity for the visitors.
Having provided the assist for the opening goal, Hakimi took matters into his own boots in the 28th minute. Drifting forward into space, the dynamic fullback unleashed a sharp, decisive shot at the near post, catching the Le Havre defense off guard and putting PSG ahead for the first time in the match.
The second half turned into a showcase of Parisian attacking power, with Hakimi remaining at the absolute center of the action. In the 55th minute, he stepped up to a free-kick just outside the penalty area and executed a sublime strike, curling the ball precisely into the bottom corner to stretch PSG’s lead.
Just seven minutes later, Hakimi’s relentless energy sparked a lightning-fast counterattack from deep within the Parisian half. Driving forward with pace and vision, he orchestrated a swift transition that culminated in Senny Mayulu finishing off the move to make it 4-1 in the 62nd minute.
The crowning moment of Hakimi’s remarkable evening arrived in the 69th minute. Completing a rare and spectacular hat-trick for a defensive player, he unleashed an effort that took a deflection off a defender, wrong-footing the goalkeeper and nestling into the back of the net to cap off the 5-1 rout.
Speaking after the final whistle, PSG coach Luis Enrique was quick to praise not just Hakimi, but the collective ethos and depth of his squad as they navigate a demanding schedule of domestic and European fixtures.
“I am happy because some players had very little playing time,” Luis Enrique said, reflecting on the rotations he was forced to make due to injuries. “If we want to win trophies, we need everyone.”