Paris Saint-Germain took a big step toward Champions League qualification with a dominant 3-0 victory over Brest in the first leg of their playoff on Tuesday, thanks to two goals from Ousmane Dembele.
This clash, only the second meeting between two French clubs in Champions League history, saw PSG control the game, though Brest had their moments.
The breakthrough came in the 21st minute when Vitinha calmly converted a penalty following a handball by Pierre Lees-Melou.
Brest came close to equalizing just after the half-hour mark when Abdallah Sima’s header rattled the post.
Dembele doubled PSG’s advantage just before halftime, cutting in from the right and beating the goalkeeper at his near post with a precise low strike, marking his eighth consecutive game on the scoresheet for PSG.
Desire Doue thought he had made it three shortly after the interval, but VAR ruled his goal offside after a lengthy check.
In the 66th minute, Dembele struck again, reacting quickly to a loose ball in the box and firing past Brest’s goalkeeper, Marco Bizot, to complete his brace.
The in-form 27-year-old has now netted 18 goals in his last 11 appearances.
PSG extended their unbeaten run against Brest to 31 matches, with their last defeat in the fixture dating back to 1985. Brest face an uphill battle in the second leg at the Parc des Princes on February 19.
