Mbappe saves PSG as Donnarumma is sent off early

France Striker Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring, when PSG played with only 10 men but still beat Le Havre 2-0 in round 14 of Ligue 1.

In the 10th minute, home striker Josue Casimir rushed down to put pressure on goalkeeper Donnarumma. The 24-year-old goalkeeper hesitated for a moment before deciding to clear the ball, but Casimir was a moment faster and touched the ball first. Donnarumma's swing was not stopped, causing him to kick Casimir's head outside the penalty area.

Referee Bastien Dechepy immediately showed the Italian goalkeeper a straight red card, despite his strong protests. He then walked straight down the tunnel, leaving PSG with 10 men from then on. This was only the second straight red card of Donnarumma's career.

The situation where Donnarumma kicked the ball into Casimir's head, when PSG met Le Havre at Oceane Stadium, France, round 14 of Ligue 1 on December 3, 2023. Photo: screenshot

Despite playing with one less player, PSG still scored first thanks to the stars. In the 23rd minute, midfielder Ousmane Dembele received the ball on the right and passed it low to the edge of the penalty area for Mbappe. The 25-year-old striker pushed the ball back to his right foot and then curled the ball from about 17 meters into the net, hitting the inside of the post. Mbappe is also in the Top 10 players with the most goals in French football history, with 179 goals in 230 matches.

Goalkeeper Arnau Tenas played well after replacing striker Bradley Barcola, making seven saves for PSG. This was the Spanish goalkeeper's first match in a national championship.

Mbappe celebrates the opening goal for PSG. Photo: Reuters

The visitors' victory had only one blemish, when midfielder Fabian Ruiz injured his shoulder. As he lay on the sidelines receiving medical attention, he screamed in pain. The midfielder was taken straight to hospital, with what appeared to be a serious injury. This could be a big loss for PSG, with midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery also out for the rest of the year. Luis Enrique's team prepares for their most important match of the season against Dortmund in the final round of the Champions League group stage in 10 days.

PSG also showed their appreciation to Korean fans by wearing shirts with their players’ names written in Korean. Midfielder Lee Kang-in also started the match, while the French club has just made friends with Lisa, a singer from Blackpink. Last year, PSG also used Chinese names for their players to celebrate Lunar New Year.

Hoang An

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