Thanks to a penalty from Romee Leuchter and a gem from Sakina Karchaoui, PSG emerged victorious against Nantes to overtake the Canaries in the standings (1-2) three rounds before the end of the regular season.
It was a must-win match for PSG in preparation for the playoffs, and experience made the difference at La Beaujoire (1-2). It was far from easy against an FC Nantes side that could almost secure their place on the podium and keep up with Paris FC three rounds before the end of the regular season.
The controversy over the penalty: The Nantes players had a positive start with 3 attempts and especially an intervention in the penalty area by Sakina Karchaoui on Melissa Bethi that was not penalized (2nd minute).
Apart from a free-kick from Romee Leuchter blocked by the wall (10th minute), PSG was not at its best and Mary Earps had to work hard to deflect a cross-shot from Louise Fleury following a counterattack (13th minute).
The Parisians finally had an effective passing game, but Yaya, on a pass from Tara Elimbi Gilbert, shot straight and weakly at Emily Burns (16th minute).
PSG came close to opening the scoring with a Karchaoui-Elimbi Gilbert-Leuchter combination, but Burns diverted the shot from the Dutchwoman (18th minute), who later got her revenge, amidst controversy. At the edge of the box, Elimbi Gilbert tried her luck, the ball hit Abdulai Toloba and ended up on the hand of Nelly Rodrigues. Not much, but enough for a penalty and to open the scoring (23rd minute).
Nantes continued to attack, first with a blocked shot (29th minute), then with a long-range attempt from Maureen Cosson that almost forced a save from Earps (30th minute).
In the same sequence, Karchaoui broke free into space but her shot went wide (30th minute). PSG had missed an opportunity to score, but the Canaries did not take advantage. After a poor clearance, Earps made amends by winning her duel against Julie Machart-Rabanne (38th minute). The goalkeeper then had luck on a shot from Toloba that narrowly missed the target (41st minute).
Karchaoui settles the match: Nantes failed to capitalize, and while the players under Nicolas Chabot’s leadership tried to equalize quickly, Karchaoui sealed the match right away. Cutting onto her left foot, the French international unleashed a shot that ended up in the top corner of Burns’ net (49th minute).
Nantes did not give up. Fleury hit the target (55th minute), and Lucie Calba forced Earps to make a reflex save with her foot (57th minute). Spaces started to open up behind the defense. Following this chance, Elisa de Almeida delivered a strong cross into the box, which Burns pushed away, but Elimbi-Gilbert could not capitalize (57th minute).
The Canadian goalkeeper shone once again in quick succession, first by deflecting a low shot from Jennifer Echegini and then by intervening on a cross from Elimbi Gilbert to Leuchter (65th minute).
Nevertheless, the Canaries showed why they were high in the standings this season. Coming off the bench, Léa Khelifi delivered a perfect cross to Toloba, but the Belgian’s inside-foot strike was saved by Earps (69th minute).
PSG felt the need to score a third goal. Found in space, Leuchter had the opportunity, but Burns was up to the task (74th minute). Yaya, in form, played the ball to the right for Rasheedat Ajibade, who almost pulled off a fantastic acrobatic backheel, but Burns managed to catch the ball (80th minute).
Nantes kept trying to reduce the deficit, with less energy and therefore less cutting edge. But their determination paid off in injury time. A cross from Zoë van de Ven found the back of the net and was allowed, despite Khelifi’s offside position not being flagged (90th+4 minute).
The final moments were tense, after a deliberate handball by De Almeida at the halfway line was not punished by the referee (90th+6 minute). However, it had no impact on the final score.
With this victory, PSG moves onto the podium with a 2-point lead over Nantes and one point behind PFC, whom they will face in the French Cup final on April 5th.
