PSG vs Reims France Ligue 1 : Draw 1-1. Reims earned a well-deserved 1-1 draw against a careless Paris Saint-Germain, who squandered more points in the fight for the title, thanks to Folarin Balogun’s 96th-minute equalizer. Folarin Balogun missed two open opportunities in 95 minutes. One was saved while the other went over the bar. But in the 96th, when given the opportunity to make his third of the game, he made it. To salvage a point for mid-table Reims against Ligue 1 leaders PSG, the Arsenal loanee burst through on goal, rounded Gianluigi Donnarumma, and slammed the ball home.
Reims earned their victory because they consistently outperformed their opponents and left the Parc de Princes with a well-earned point. Balogun was the day’s, standout man. On a field containing Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe, he seemed the best forward, scoring the equalizer and providing relentless energy throughout the game. He has a total of 12 goals in 20 appearances for Reims this season across all competitions, and he appears destined to earn his moment under Mikel Arteta when he rejoins Arsenal in the summer.
Still, PSG is predicted to prevail in these contests. They nearly did, too. PSG scored early in the second half after a sluggish first 45 minutes. After catching a stray ball behind the Reims’ defense, Neymar turned around the goalkeeper and scored from a tight angle to give his team a 1-0 lead. However, PSG’s momentum was stopped by the dismissal of replacement Marco Verratti after he drove his studs into Junya Ito’s ankle and received a straight red. Balogun’s equalizer with the final kick of the game stole a point for Reims from PSG, who had additional opportunities but failed to take advantage.
The Performing Side:
Achraf Hakimi: Against Reims, Hakimi had a peculiar sort of role for PSG. He did a good job on defense, but several of his offensive moves were dubious. But his enthusiasm on a night when his team desperately needed it was priceless. The right-back provided a steady outlet down the wing, putting pressure on the Reims’ defense and giving a sluggish PSG team precious time to recover from prolonged pressure. Late in the second half, Hakimi also scored, but the goal was disallowed for offside. After a polished performance, it would have been a goal that was deserved.
Neymar: Neymar didn’t play at his best, in all honesty. There were no amazing feats of skill or soaring runs. Instead, the Brazilian gave an oddly muted performance. But his influence was priceless. Neymar set up three chances, contributed significantly in defense, and finished the game by scoring PSG’s lone goal after around the goalkeeper and shooting from a tight angle. He tried his best on Sunday night, but he will have games that are both more useful and beautiful.
Folarin Balogun: What a goal from the loanee from Arsenal. Bolagun had been running nonstop all evening but despite having a couple of clear opportunities, nothing had come of it. But far into the extra time, he received his prize. Balogun scored a beautiful goal by weaving between the PSG centre-backs, evading the keeper, and firing the ball into the top of the net. The goal completed a standout performance for Balogun, who now has 11 goals in Ligue 1 season 2022–2023. A call-up to the U.S. Men’s National team has been rumored for the striker in recent weeks, and performances like this suggest he merits it.
The Losing Side:
Marco Verratti: Such an odd performance. At halftime, Verratti made his long-awaited comeback from injury. And he did so right away, giving the PSG midfield the much-needed push and inventiveness. He was also essential in setting up his team’s first goal, recovering the ball in the Reims’ third to launch the attack that gave PSG a 1-0 lead. But just five minutes later, in a careless challenge, he ruined it all by ramming his studs into Junya Ito’s ankle. Only 13 minutes after entering the fight, he received a straight red card.
Kylian Mbappe: Being Kylian Mbappe comes with such high expectations that any game in which the Frenchman falters even little is perceived as a disappointment. However, Mbappe was genuinely ineffective today, especially in the opening period. He failed to win any of his first three takedowns, and twice while PSG was in transition, he turned the ball over. The France international occasionally seems to make things happen by pushing himself too hard. He executed some hasty shots, under-hit some passes, and overcooked some of his runs. Although Mbappe improved in the waning seconds as Reims pushed for an equalizer, it wasn’t his best performance.
Lionel Messi: On Sunday night, Messi was unquestionably terrible. Signature Messi’s feints and dummies appeared, and he also contributed to the development of PSG’s goal. However, he was also a little rusty. Three times the ball was taken away from him, most notably by the great Yunis Abdelhamid. The Argentine also had a good opportunity to end the match for the home team, but he missed wide with a shot from six yards out. There is no denying Messi’s talent, and as the season progresses, he will undoubtedly help PSG win some games. He didn’t appear to be match-ready on Sunday, which hurt his team.
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