Le Havre lead PSG 1-0 after Josh Maja strikes against Ligue 1 leaders
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Le Havre led Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 at half time of Friday's Ligue 1 Matchday 9 game at the Stade Oceane.
- Josh Maja scored the only goal in the 18th minute, assisted by Rayan Fofana, per Sportradar's live play-by-play.
- PSG started the night top of the table with 17 points, while Le Havre were bottom with two points and no wins.
Le Havre took a shock 1-0 half-time lead against PSG in Ligue 1 on Friday night. Josh Maja scored in the 18th minute. Kickoff was at 7pm CET at the Stade Oceane.
PSG began the day top of the French league. Le Havre began it bottom. Nobody expected the bottom side to lead at the break.
What happened
Maja's goal came midway through the first half. He finished from close range after Rayan Fofana set him up. Sportradar's live play-by-play logged the goal at the 18-minute mark.
PSG responded with pressure but no equaliser before half time. Achraf Hakimi fired a shot off target in the 24th minute, per the same live feed.
Paris fielded a heavily rotated side. The club's official site, psg.fr, published the confirmed lineups before kickoff.
Matvey Safonov started in goal for the visitors. Hakimi captained the side.
Lucas Digne started at left back. Illia Zabarnyi and Lucas Hernandez played in central defence.
The midfield was Dro, Warren Zaire-Emery and Senny Mayulu. The attack was Maghnes Akliouche, Ferran Torres and Mika Godts.
Le Havre lined up with Arnaud Bodart in goal. Amir Richardson captained the side. The forward line was Rayan Fofana, Josh Maja and Sota Nakamura.
Why it matters
PSG arrived on a run of five straight wins in all competitions. They beat Lyon 2-0 at the weekend, with Mayulu and Godts scoring, according to Oddschecker.
Before that, they beat Barcelona 4-2 in the Champions League. Athlon Sports described Luis Enrique's men as in outstanding form.
Yet they trailed a side that has lost four league games in a row. Le Havre's last outing ended in a 4-3 defeat at Marseille.
Injuries forced PSG to rotate. Ousmane Dembele, Marquinhos, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nuno Mendes were all unavailable, Athlon Sports reported.
Kvaratskhelia's absence is long term. He suffered a serious ACL problem. That is a knee ligament injury that can keep a player out for months.
Le Havre also had their own injury list. Stephan Zagadou, Timothee Pembele, Felix Mambimbi and Lionel Mpasi missed the game through injury.
The standings made the story bigger. PSG sat first with 17 points from eight games.
Le Havre sat 18th with just two points. They were the only team in Ligue 1 without a win.
The last time these sides met at this ground, PSG won 1-0. That was on February 28 this year. Bradley Barcola scored with a 37th-minute header, and Desire Doue missed a late penalty, per ESPN.
What happens next
The second half will decide whether Le Havre can hold on. PSG have a strong bench. Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz, Joao Neves and Desire Doue all started among the substitutes.
A draw or defeat for PSG would be a big surprise. It would also tighten the title race. France 24 noted that Rennes are watching from just behind the leaders.
If PSG turn it around, it will be a very different story. Their squad depth is far greater than Le Havre's. The second half should tell the tale.
Before kickoff, few gave the hosts a chance. MrFixitsTips tipped Hakimi to score at odds of 6/5 against the bottom club. The numbers backed PSG too.
SportsGambler's pre-match model gave PSG a 78 percent chance of winning. Le Havre had not even drawn in weeks. But football is not played on paper.
For now, the story of the night is simple. Le Havre, the bottom club with no wins, lead the champions 1-0. Josh Maja's 18th-minute strike is the difference so far.
PSG beat Lyon 2-0 on Monday night before travelling to Normandy. They also beat Barcelona 4-2 in the Champions League earlier in the week. Tonight's rotated side faces a very different test.
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