Paris Saint-Germain took a giant step towards the Champions League last 16 with a convincing 3-0 win over Stade Brest in the first leg of their play-off tie. Ousmane Dembele was the star of the show, scoring twice as PSG dominated the match and left Brest with a mountain to climb in the second leg.
The visitors took the lead in the 21st minute when Vitinha converted a penalty after Pierre Lees-Melou was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box. Brest responded well and almost equalized when Abdallah Sima’s header struck the post, but PSG weathered the storm and doubled their lead just before half-time.
Dembele , who has been in scintillating form in recent weeks, cut inside from the right flank and fired a low shot past Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot. The goal marked Dembélé’s eighth consecutive match with a goal for PSG, and his 18th in his last 11 appearances.
PSG continued to control the game in the second half, with Désiré Doué having a goal ruled out for offside after a VAR review. Dembélé then secured his brace with a clinical finish in the 66th minute, capitalizing on a loose ball in the box.
The victory leaves PSG in a commanding position heading into the second leg at the Parc des Princes on February 19th. They will be confident of completing the job and securing their place in the last 16.
Brest, who are making their debut in the Champions League this season, face an uphill battle to overturn the deficit in the second leg. They will need to produce a near-perfect performance to have any chance of progressing to the knockout stages.
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