PARIS — In an exciting debut, new recruit Khvicha Kvaratskhelia played a vital role in setting up a goal for Paris Saint-Germain, yet it was insufficient as they ended up drawing 1-1 against Reims at home on Saturday.
The winger from Georgia displayed remarkable skill as he took possession just outside the penalty area, skillfully maneuvering past three defenders before assisting Ousmane Dembélé. Dembélé’s shot, which took a slight deflection, beat the goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf to give PSG a brief lead in the 47th minute.
Kvaratskhelia recently transferred from Napoli in a deal worth 70 million euros (approximately $73.5 million). He was introduced to PSG supporters ahead of the match, proudly displaying the No. 7 jersey amid the pouring rain at Parc des Princes.
Reims, known for being a thorn in PSG’s side, equalized when Japan’s Keito Nakamura capitalized on a well-executed team play in the 56th minute.
Defending champions PSG are still unbeaten in Ligue 1, although they have drawn five out of their 19 matches. Meanwhile, Marseille, currently in second place, could narrow the gap to seven points with a win over fifth-placed Nice on Sunday.
In other Ligue 1 action, Maghnes Akliouche stole the spotlight for Monaco, netting a stunning overhead goal and providing an assist as his team edged out Rennes 3-2 to secure third place in the standings.
Akliouche opened the scoring in the 16th minute with an acrobatic overhead kick following a cross from Vanderson. However, Rennes defender Mahamadou Nagida responded just before halftime to level the score.
Monaco regained the lead shortly into the second half when Mika Biereth scored his first goal for the team in the 52nd minute, capitalizing on a pass from Lamine Camara. Akliouche then set up Aleksandr Golovin, who found the back of the net to extend their lead to 3-1.
Rennes managed to find the net once more through Amine Gouiri, who played a crucial role in both starting and finishing the scoring sequence.
In another match, Lille faced a setback as they attempted to reclaim third place from Monaco. Despite taking an early lead with a goal from Moroccan striker Osame Sahraoui, Lille fell 2-1 to Strasbourg. Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos leveled things up with a powerful shot from outside the box in the 70th minute, while Dutch player Emmanuel Emegha scored the winning goal for Strasbourg just four minutes later, allowing the team to rise to eighth place.
Coach Bruno Genesio’s Lille had previously gone unbeaten in Ligue 1 since suffering defeat to Saint-Etienne on September 13. Now, Nice has the opportunity to overtake Lille and claim the fourth position if they succeed in their upcoming match against Marseille.
