Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Reims in Ligue 1 on Saturday, maintaining their unbeaten start to the season but failing to secure a convincing victory. The home side took the lead early on through a stunning strike from Keito Nakamura, who capitalised on a clever cross from Junya Ito. Nakamura’s shot deflected off PSG captain Marquinhos before nestling in the back of the net in the ninth minute.
Luis Enrique’s PSG side, missing striker Marco Asensio due to injury, struggled to find their usual attacking fluency in the first half. Despite dominating possession, they lacked the cutting edge to break down a well-organized Reims defense. Midfielder Lee Kang-in came closest to equalizing in the first half, but his shot was saved by goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf.
However, PSG stepped up the intensity in the second half, and their efforts were finally rewarded in the 68th minute. Substitute Ousmane Dembele, who came on for Desire Doue in the 65th minute, latched onto a fierce cross from Joao Neves and slotted home from a tight angle to level the score.
While relieved to salvage a point, PSG players expressed their disappointment with the performance. Joao Neves acknowledged the difficulty of the match and said, “It’s a difficult result, and I don’t think we deserved a draw. We tried to put things right in the second half, but I’m not happy with the result.” He added, “I think you have to learn from every game. The next will be better, and we’ll try to get as many points as possible.”
PSG striker Randal Kolo Muani also shared the team’s frustration, describing the match as “complicated.” However, he remained optimistic, highlighting their fighting spirit and undefeated record: “We were desperate to get back on the scoresheet and win the game… But you have to look on the bright side, we’re still unbeaten.”
The draw keeps PSG at the top of the Ligue 1 table with 13 points from five games. They host Stade Rennais in their next match, while second-placed Olympique Marseille will face Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday.
