Paris Saint-Germain continued their dominant form in Ligue 1 with an emphatic 5-2 victory over Stade Brest, once again led by the brilliance of Ousmane Dembélé.
The French winger delivered another masterclass just days after his hat-trick against VfB Stuttgart helped PSG advance in the Champions League. This time, he repeated the feat in domestic competition, securing his second hat-trick in four days and becoming the first player in PSG’s history to score three goals in consecutive matches.
PSG arrived at the Stade Francis-Le Blé aware of the challenge that Brest could pose, especially given their strong home form this season. Luis Enrique’s side, however, was determined to extend their lead at the top of the table. Despite their attacking intent, the opening stages of the match proved frustrating for the Parisians, as Brest defended resolutely and looked dangerous on the counterattack.
For the first half-hour, Brest managed to keep PSG’s attacking trio of Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé, and Bradley Barcola relatively quiet. The hosts absorbed pressure and looked comfortable in possession, even testing PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma with a couple of speculative efforts. However, PSG’s relentless pressure eventually paid off in the 30th minute. A brilliant pass from Fabián Ruiz cut through Brest’s defensive line, finding Barcola in a dangerous position. Instead of going for goal himself, Barcola showed great vision to square the ball to Dembélé, who had made a well-timed run into the box. The French forward made no mistake, calmly tapping the ball into the net to put PSG ahead at 0-1.
Brest refused to let their heads drop and continued to play with ambition, pushing forward in search of an equalizer. Their efforts were rewarded shortly after halftime when Romain Del Castillo produced a moment of magic. The midfielder found himself in space on the edge of the box and unleashed a stunning long-range strike that left Donnarumma with no chance. The home crowd erupted as Brest leveled the score at 1-1, reigniting their hopes of causing an upset against the reigning champions.
However, just when it seemed like Brest could build momentum, Dembélé stepped up once again to shift the game back in PSG’s favor. In the 55th minute, a scramble inside the penalty area saw the ball deflect towards Dembélé, who reacted the quickest to fire a low shot into the bottom corner, restoring PSG’s lead at 1-2.
The floodgates were beginning to open, and just five minutes later, Dembélé completed his hat-trick with another expertly taken goal. This time, Lee Kang-in provided a perfectly weighted pass to send Dembélé through on goal. The French winger showed composure as he slotted the ball past the Brest goalkeeper, extending PSG’s lead to 1-3. With that goal, Dembélé etched his name into the club’s history books, becoming the first PSG player to score hat-tricks in back-to-back matches.
With a two-goal cushion, PSG seemed to be in control, but Brest showed remarkable resilience and refused to surrender. In the 70th minute, Ludovic Ajorque provided a lifeline for the hosts, producing a moment of individual brilliance. The French striker turned his defender inside the box and rifled a powerful shot past Donnarumma, reducing the deficit to 2-3 and sparking fresh hope among the Brest supporters.
For a brief moment, the game hung in the balance, as Brest pushed forward in search of an equalizer. PSG, however, weathered the storm and put the match to bed in the closing stages, thanks to substitute Gonçalo Ramos. The Portuguese striker, introduced in the 75th minute, wasted no time in making an impact. In the 83rd minute, he capitalized on a defensive error to slot the ball past Marco Bizot, restoring PSG’s two-goal advantage at 2-4. Just minutes later, Ramos struck again, this time finishing off a flowing team move to seal PSG’s victory at 2-5.
With this commanding result, PSG further cements their place at the top of Ligue 1, showcasing their attacking firepower and ability to respond under pressure. However, this will not be the last meeting between these two sides this season. The Champions League draw has paired PSG and Brest in the knockout round, setting up another intriguing battle between the two French clubs. The first leg will take place on Tuesday, February 11, in Brest, with the return leg in Paris one week later.
For now, PSG can celebrate another impressive victory, fueled by the dazzling form of Dembélé, who has firmly established himself as one of the key figures in their title charge. With confidence soaring, Luis Enrique’s men will look to maintain their momentum as they continue their pursuit of domestic and European success.