Soccer-Mendes guides PSG to top of Ligue 1 with 4-0 win at Nice


Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - OGC Nice v Paris St Germain - Allianz Riviera, Nice, France - March 21, 2026 Paris St Germain's Nuno Mendes celebrates scoring their first goal with Desire Doue REUTERS/Manon Cruz

NICE, France, March 21 (Reuters) - ⁠Nuno Mendes scored a first-half penalty and provided an assist ⁠for Desire Doue as Paris Saint-Germain moved back to the ‌top of Ligue 1 with a resounding 4-0 victory at struggling 10-man Nice on Saturday.

PSG move to 60 points from 26 games, one more than second-placed Lens who won ​5-1 at Angers on Friday, and have ⁠a game in hand. Nice ⁠are on 27 points from 27 games, five points above the relegation ⁠zone.

After ‌missing several chances, the visitors took the lead on 42 minutes when Nice defender Morgan Sanson was adjudged to have ⁠handled the ball in the box from Doue’s shot.

Referee ​Willy Delajod initially ‌waved play on but, after a Video Assistant Referee review, ⁠pointed to the ​spot. Mendes converted for his sixth goal of the campaign.

The Portugal international then embarked on a mazy run into the Nice penalty area four minutes ⁠into the second half and found Doue, ​whose rasping shot from 10 metres gave Yehvann Diouf in the home goal no chance.

Nice were reduced to 10 players just past the hour-mark when ⁠Youssouf Ndayishimiye's poor challenge on Lee Kang-in was deemed reckless on VAR review.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had the ball in the back of the net again for the visitors, but his effort was ruled out after ​Ousmane Dembele was adjudged offside in the build-up.

PSG ⁠did score again when Dembele picked out Dro Fernandez on the edge ​of the box and the 18-year-old former ‌Barcelona youngster fired into the net for ​his first goal in senior football, before Warren Zaire-Emery added a late fourth.

(Reporting by Nick Said; editing by Clare Fallon)

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