Paris FC 4 Stade Brest 0   Ligue 1   3–5-26

 

For a long time Paris St-Germain have dominated football in the French capital, but it could be that PSG might eventually have a serious local rival in the shape of Paris FC.

 

The Blues were once connected with their illustrious neighbours but having separated in the early 1970s, struggled for many years in the lower leagues often being watched by very small crowds at the Stade Charlety.

 

However, having reached the top division they can field a team including names such as Ciro Immobile, Nigerian Moses Simon, Kevin Trapp, potential local stars Rudy Matondo and Willem Geubbels, plus loanees from the English Premier League.

With investment from the Arnault family and Red Bull, among others, this club now based at the Stade Jean-Bouin, adjacent to the Parc des Princes, is clearly going places.

 

On this bright and breezy afternoon they dominated their opponents and within twenty minutes they were two goals ahead.  Firstly when the highly rated eighteen-year-old Matondo scored at the second attempt and then after the tall Geubbels broke away to net past Coudert.

Across the piece with Munetsi (Zimbabwe), Matondo, and the energetic Algerian Kebbal in midfield together with Ikone and Simon out wide, the home team kept control.

Ikone in particular caused many problems for Brest’s left sided defenders.

And it was only at the end of the first half that the visitors produced any threats, primarily through a Kenny Lala cross.

 

A similar pattern continued after the interval although Paris tended to consolidate and that allowed Brest a few chances, including through Labeau Lascary though his effort was fairly woeful.

Then Paris went three-up on 67 when defender Coppola’s shot was parried and Matondo was there again to convert.

The various substitutions, including Malians Kamory Doumbia and Hamidou Makalou for Brest made some difference but it always seemed the outcome was inevitable.

Confirmed when another replacement, Burnley loanee Luca Koleosho, neatly chipped past the goalie for number 4.

 

Perhaps Brest, some of whom showed their frustration at the end, might have been ‘on the beach’ but nevertheless it was an impressive showing by Paris FC and their interesting array of talent.

They are definitely a team to key an eye on for the future.

Report from Paris – John Bethell.