PARIS (AP) — Ousmane Dembele scored twice in the first half as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Toulouse 3-1 on Friday to extend its lead in Ligue 1 to four points.
The match has been brought forward to give PSG time to recover ahead of next Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool at the Parc des Princes.
PSG went into this game having scored 12 goals in their last three games and took the lead midway through the opening period with Dembele’s superb volley from the 18-yard edge of the box into the top corner.
However, four minutes later, goalkeeper Matvei Safonov failed to convert a powerful inswinging corner and Rasmus Nikolaisen headed the rebound to level the score.
Dembele restored PSG’s lead 12 minutes before half-time. A corner kick was headed in by Hviča Kvaratschelia and former Dortmund and Barcelona forward Dembele side-footed it over the goal line.
In the second half, with the home side dominating, the third goal was ruled out for offside, but it wasn’t until stoppage time that PSG added a third goal, with substitute Gonzalo Ramos scoring with his right foot from 25 meters out.
This result leaves PSG four points behind Reims, who will now face fifth-placed Lille in the northern derby on Saturday.
Toulouse remained in 9th place.
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