Strasbourg’s Young Guns Expose Paris FC’s Naivety in Five-Goal Thriller

At a raucous Stade Jean Bouin, Strasbourg’s blend of youthful audacity and late-game poise outlasted a spirited but error-prone Paris FC, prevailing 3-2 in a Ligue 1 contest that may well be remembered as a watershed for both sides.

Paris FC, buoyed by a sellout home crowd and chasing a third consecutive victory, burst from the gates with intent. Early chances fell to Moses Simon and Pierre Lees-Melou, but Strasbourg’s Belgian goalkeeper Mike Penders repelled a flurry of efforts, including a particularly sharp double save from Kebbal’s close-range strike. The Parisians dominated possession for much of the opening half hour, only to be undone by a moment of quality and composure that foreshadowed the afternoon’s theme.

Strasbourg’s 18-year-old Kendry Páez, capitalizing on his side’s first real opportunity, connected with a whipped cross from Diego Morera, rising above a static defense to head home his maiden Ligue 1 goal in the 27th minute. The goal punctured Paris FC’s momentum, yet did not entirely deflate their ambition. Traoré, back in Paris colors after over a decade, nearly restored parity but blazed over the bar in first-half stoppage time.

After the break, Paris FC intensified their search for an equalizer, but Strasbourg’s tactical substitutions on the hour steadied the visitors, who absorbed the pressure and struck ruthlessly on the counter. In the 78th minute, Guéla Doué doubled the advantage with a crisp finish, seemingly putting the match out of reach.

The closing stages erupted with drama. Nouha Dicko’s 81st-minute goal, a predatory finish after a rare defensive lapse, briefly revived Parisian hopes. Yet, within six minutes, Strasbourg’s Emanuel Emegha capitalized on a stretched defense, restoring the two-goal cushion with a clinical strike in the 87th. Alimami Gory’s stoppage-time tally for Paris FC in the 94th minute set up a breathless finale, but Strasbourg, marshaled by the experienced Penders, held firm to secure all three points.

For Paris FC, the afternoon showcased both promise and vulnerability. Their attacking enterprise was clear, but defensive lapses and a lack of ruthlessness in both boxes proved costly. Strasbourg, meanwhile, signaled that their faith in youth—epitomized by Páez’s star turn—may yet propel them beyond mid-table obscurity this season. In a league often dictated by veteran guile, it was the kids who decided the day.