Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) secured another victory, but star player Kylian Mbappe struggled in front of goal, extending his scoreless streak to four consecutive matches. In the match at Roazhon Park on October 8, Mbappe played the full 90 minutes, making 50 touches on the ball, providing two key passes, taking eight shots with three on target, and completing three successful dribbles, but failing to find the back of the net.
In the 7th minute, Mbappe displayed his trademark acceleration but was brought down in the penalty area after a collision with Lorenz Assignon. However, referee Benoit Bastien waved off appeals for a penalty, deeming the defender’s challenge legal. Early in the second half, the French striker embarked on another sprint and delivered a precise pass to Goncalo Ramos. Unfortunately, the Portuguese striker failed to control the ball, resulting in a missed opportunity.
In the 76th minute, Mbappe fired a shot over the crossbar from a cross by Randal Kolo Muani. The most agonizing moment came in the 86th minute when PSG launched a counterattack following an opponent’s corner kick. Achraf Hakimi played a through ball for Mbappe, who raced past the last defender Assignon and goalkeeper Steve Mandanda but shockingly sent his shot over the bar with the goal wide open.
As a result, Mbappe extended his scoreless and assistless streak to four matches, dating back to his last goals in a 2-3 loss to Nice at home during the fifth round of Ligue 1 on September 15. In the current season, Mbappe has scored eight goals in nine matches across all competitions, including seven in Ligue 1 and one in the Champions League.
Despite Mbappe’s struggles, PSG dominated the match against Rennes. In the 32nd minute, Vitinha, receiving a pass from Ousmane Dembele, skillfully struck the ball with his right foot, curling it into the far corner past a diving Mandanda. Four minutes later, 17-year-old midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery delivered a ball into the penalty area, allowing Hakimi to head it into the near corner to double the lead.
In the second half, Amine Gouiri scored for Rennes with a header, but substitute Randal Kolo Muani cushioned Hakimi’s cross with his left foot, restoring PSG’s two-goal lead. Later, the French striker had a diagonal shot into the home goal, but it was disallowed due to an offside decision.
Nonetheless, the 3-1 victory helped PSG bounce back after their 4-1 defeat against Newcastle in the Champions League. This result positioned PSG in third place in Ligue 1 with 15 points, trailing Nice and Monaco by one and two points, respectively. PSG will return home to face Strasbourg in the next round on October 21.