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PSG needed late magic from Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe to earn a narrow 1-0 win over Rennes in their Ligue 1 clash yesterday. Following the hard-fought victory, Parisian defender Achraf Hakimi hailed Mauricio Pochettino's men for their character in what was another intense clash at the Parc des Princes.
The Moroccan, who played 84 minutes of the encounter, admits it was indeed a difficult outing for the current table toppers. He is, however, proud that his side were able to pick up all three points from the match.
"To be honest, it was a difficult game until the last moments," Achraf Hakimi told PSG TV. "We worked and battled a lot, and we prepared the game well to win it. It was a good piece of play at the end and we’re happy to take the three points."
PSG were made to work hard for three points at the Parc des Princes yesterday. It initially looked like the Parisians were set for a draw as they failed to break the deadlock after 90 minutes. However, Kylian Mbappe stepped up in injury time to score the the winning goal after being set up by Lionel Messi.
With that triumph, the Ligue 1 giants continued their trend of winning games late this season, having won multiple matches in similar circumstances over the last few weeks. Achraf Hakimi believes it's proof of their motivation to always fight till the end.
"We’ve scored a lot of goals in the final minutes and that shows that one of this team’s strengths is that we always fight to the end. It’s very positive for the team because it shows we have a lot of character and a special talent to win," the defender added.
What next for PSG?
Following their victory over Rennes yesterday, PSG will return to Champions League action with a clash with Real Madrid in the Round of 16 next Tuesday. The Parisians will then travel to Nantes to continue their Ligue 1 outing on Saturday.
As it stands, the Parisians lead the race for the league title with 59 points from 24 games. They've recorded 18 victories, five draws and one defeat in the French top flight so far and certainly have the odds in their favor to go home with the honor.
