PSG 2-0 Lens: Barcola nets brace as winning start continues for Luis Enrique's side
Paris Saint-Germain overcame Lens in a 2-0 win at Parc des Princes on Sunday, to send them back to the top of Ligue 1.
Bradley Barcola scored twice to seal a routine 2-0 win for Paris Saint-Germain over Lens on Sunday, taking Luis Enrique's side back to the Ligue 1 summit.
The France international netted in each half for the hosts at Parc des Princes, with Vitinha on hand to provide the assist for both goals.
Barcola made it 1-0 just 15 minutes in, after a brilliant curling effort from the edge of the penalty area beat Robin Risser in the Lens goal.
Despite their early advantage, Luis Enrique would have been left worried when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia limped off on the half-hour mark, having already been left without both Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue, who were absent through injury.
Nevertheless, Barcola doubled the hosts' lead when a sublime solo effort saw him dribble past several Lens defenders, before cutting in and drilling the ball into the bottom-left corner beyond Risser.
From there on, PSG were out of sight, with Lens never truly looking like troubling Lucas Chevalier, and Luis Enrique's side are building more momentum ahead of launching their Champions League defence against Atalanta on Wednesday.
Data Debrief: Barcola steps up in Dembele and Doue absence
The matchwinner, Barcola found the back of the net with 100% of his shots, despite recording an expected goals (xG) tally of just 0.07.
The forward registered a joint-high four dribbles during the game, with only Warren Zaire-Emery, Ibrahim Mbaye, and Florian Thauvin posting the same number.
PSG played their 70th match in all competitions since the start of last season. However, it was their first game during that time without Dembele and Doue.
Luis Enrique's side have now scored at least one goal in 35 successive Ligue 1 home matches, equalling their longest streak in the top flight (between January 2013 and December 2014).
PSG made it three clean sheets in four games this season, as many as in their last 22 matches of last term. Meanwhile, since the start of last season, no goalkeeper has played more matches wihout conceding a goal than Chevalier (14).
