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PSG beat Metz to go top | The Express Tribune
BACK ON TOP: Youngsters Ibrahim Mbaye (L) and Quentin Ndjantou (R) were picked either side of Goncalo Ramos (C) in PSG’s attack © Jean-Christophe. Photo: AFP
PARIS:
Teenagers Quentin Ndjantou and Ibrahim Mbaye starred as Paris Saint-Germain returned to the top of Ligue 1 with a hard-fought 3-2 win at rock-bottom Metz on Saturday.
Ndjantou scored his first goal for the club while Mbaye managed two assists, with Portuguese forward Goncalo Ramos and substitute Desire Doue adding the other goals for PSG.
“Ndjantou is the surprise of the beginning of the season — he has this quality of running from deep and making himself available for the ball,” said coach Luis Enrique.
“He has the qualities of a midfielder and a forward — we expect a lot from him.”
The coach was also pleased with Mbaye’s performance.
“We believe in his qualities. He showed more than normal, more freedom, more at ease, he did some excellent things with and without the ball.”
Four days before PSG play the Intercontinental Cup final against Brazil’s Flamengo in Qatar, Luis Enrique rested a host of players for the trip to northeast France.
Even though Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele was not deemed well enough to play after an illness, Luis Enrique left Doue, Bradley Barcola, Joao Neves, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier on the bench.
Instead, 17-year-old Mbaye and 18-year-old Ndjantou were picked either side of Ramos in attack, and they did not disappoint.
However, Luis Enrique was otherwise unimpressed with his team, although he blamed it on his much-changed line-up.
“I was afraid, very afraid. Metz, particularly in the second half, were in the match right up to the last minute,” he said, adding his team had “lost control” in the second half.
Mbaye creator
After a quiet opening, the game burst into life in the final 15 minutes of the first half.
Ramos gave PSG the lead when he headed home a cross from Lee Kang-in on 31 minutes.
On 39 minutes Ndjantou slid home Mbaye’s devilish cross into the six-yard box.
Just three minutes later, Jessy Deminguet lashed home for Metz from outside the area after a ricochet fell into his path.
Danish goalkeeper Jonathan Fischer denied Ramos with a smart save to keep Metz in the game after the break.
Habib Diallo had a chance to equalise just before the hour mark but shinned his volley from the edge of the box wide of the upright.
Doue seemed to have sealed the victory for PSG when he raced clear from his own half, released by Mbaye, as Metz were caught pushing up at a corner.
Doue ran 70 yards before calmly slotting past Fischer.
A week after scoring his first goal of the season against Rennes, Mbaye hit the woodwork on 71 minutes.
Georgian Georgi Tsitaishvili gave Metz hope nine minutes from time with a curling effort from outside the box, but PSG held on.
Lens can return to the Ligue 1 summit if they beat Nice — who have lost eight straight games in all competitions — on Sunday.
PSG’s city neighbours Paris FC slumped to a fifth defeat in nine matches to leave them hovering just above the relegation zone as Yann Gboho scored a brace to help Toulouse leave the capital with a 3-0 victory.
It is just one win in those nine matches now for PFC, who are majority owned by the billionaire Arnault family that also owns LVMH.
Earlier in the day, Rennes moved up to fifth with a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over Brest for their fifth success in their last six Ligue 1 encounters.
Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt comes off the bench to run for 96 yards and a touchdown in Washington’s first win since Week 5.
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Lionel Messi‘s “GOAT Tour” of India was marred by chaotic scenes Saturday after fans threw ripped up seats and invaded the pitch during the Argentina star’s brief appearance.
Messi’s tour will see him travel from Kolkata to Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. However, it did not get off to a dream start, as his appearance was reportedly cut to just 20 minutes due to the violence.
The highlight of tour’s opening day was meant to be the unveiling of a 70-foot Messi statue — which is reported to be the largest statue of a footballer ever created.
Messi, who was accompanied by teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked a short distance on the pitch and waved briefly toward the stands amid loud chants of “Messi, Messi,” but fans soon realized that the footballer remained tightly cordoned off and was barely visible from large sections of the stadium.
Messi’s appearance ended before he could complete a full lap of the stadium, sparking violent scenes.
“Only leaders and actors were surrounding Messi,” a fan told ANI news agency. “Why did they call us then?
“We have got a ticket for 12,000 rupees ($130), but we were not even able to see his face.”
Mamata Banerjee, the region’s chief minister, issued an apology to Messi and ordered a probe into the incident.
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“I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake stadium,” Banerjee, who was on her way to the event when chaos broke out, posted on X.
“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” she added.
“I am constituting an enquiry committee… the committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.”
The Indian football federation said it was “deeply concerned” by the scenes, adding that it was not involved in the event’s planning, deferring responsibility to the PR agency that organised it.
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Brady Cook wasn’t exactly tasked with salvaging the New York Jets’ 2025 season as he made the first start of his career on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
However, he was expected to showcase what he could do on the field – and he didn’t disappoint in the first quarter. Cook led the Jets on an eight-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Adonai Mitchell, and helped cut the deficit to seven points at the time.
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New York Jets quarterback Brady Cook looks to pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Florida. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
The CBS broadcast showed Cook’s parents celebrating in the stands at EverBank Stadium. It was the first touchdown pass of Cook’s career. He also completed six consecutive passes before throwing an interception.
Cook got some playing time against the Miami Dolphins last week. He was 14-of-30 for 163 yards and threw two interceptions as New York fell 34-10.
PHILIP RIVERS, 44, OFFICIALLY TABBED COLTS STARTER, WILL PLAY IN FIRST NFL GAME IN NEARLY FIVE YEARS
New York Jets quarterback Brady Cook (4) runs on field before the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn tapped Cook as the starter as the experiments with Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor didn’t yield much success over the course of the year.
Cook latched onto the Jets’ roster as an undrafted free agent. He was waived as training camp came to a close but came back later on the practice squad. He bounced from the main roster to the practice squad a few times during the season before the game against the Dolphins.
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The former Missouri standout, 24, played his entire collegiate career with the Tigers. He had 9,251 passing yards and 50 touchdown passes during his career at Missouri.
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