Paris Saint-Germain entered the World Cup break with a five-point lead at the top of the Ligue 1 table, and their star players shined during the tournament. Kylian Mbappe, in particular, impressed after scoring a hat-trick in the World Cup final, although France ultimately fell to Argentina on penalties. Meanwhile, Strasbourg struggled last season and lies second-to-last in the table with just one victory.
As the two teams faced off in their Ligue 1 opener, Mbappe was back in the starting eleven for PSG, no doubt fueled by the heartbreaking defeat to Argentina. Neymar, Marquinhos, and Vitinha were included in the lineup, all of whom were eliminated in the quarter-finals with Brazil and Portugal, respectively.
The match was thrilling from start to finish, with both teams creating numerous chances and putting on a show for the fans. Marquinhos opened the scoring for PSG off a free-kick from Neymar, but Strasbourg responded with a lucky deflected goal to level the score at 1-1. Despite being a man down after Neymar was shown a red card, PSG managed to score the winning goal and secure a 2-1 victory. Thanks to the late penalty from Mbappe
Mbappe and Neymar were at the centre of the action throughout the match, creating chances and putting pressure on the Strasbourg defence. Mbappe had several chances to score, including a one-on-one opportunity that was saved by the goalkeeper, while Neymar was unlucky to be shown a red card for diving. In the end, PSG’s quality shone through, with their star players leading the way to a hard-fought victory. With Mbappe and other key players in top form, they will be a force to be reckoned with in Ligue 1 this season.