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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) were held to a disappointing goalless draw by Lorient in their Ligue 1 season-opener at the Parc des Princes on Saturday, August 12.
The Parisians entered this contest on the back of a fairly successful preseason, wherein they won two games, drew one and lost two games. They also found themselves deep in sagas pertaining to the exit of Lionel Messi, and the potential exits of Neymar Junior and Kylian Mbappe. New manager fielded a full-strength lineup with the players available.
Lorient, too, had an eventful preseason in which they tasted a fair bit of success. They won two, drew one and lost one game as they looked to better last season's 10th-placed finish in Ligue 1 this time around.
PSG controlled and dominated possession in the first period, keeping the ball for 78% of the first half. Despite having the ball for so long, they were unable to create effective chances. They fired eight shots on goal, with just two on target, but neither troubled Yvon Mvogo in Lorient's goal.
The Parisians looked visibly short on creativity and a spark in the final third following the disbanding of their deadly trio of Messi, Neymar and Mbappe. The former has departed the club, while the other two have been ostracized by Luis Enrique in a bid to preserve squad harmony.
Another new boy Lucas Hernandez made a decent start in defense, barring one miscued pass that nearly cost PSG dearly. Lorient had just one attempt and failed to hit the target with it as the teams were deadlocked at 0-0 at the break.
The second half was a similar story for the Parisians as they dominated possession and found themselves in good positions in the final third. However, they struggled to break down Lorient's defense. The visitors sat deep and every man defended in a calculated manner, helping them shut PSG out.
Enrique made multiple changes in the final half hour of the contest in a bid to turn things in the hosts' favor. However, despite having fresh legs and a better squad on paper, PSG were unable to snatch a late winner and the game ended in a stalemate.
On that note, let's take a look at the Parisians' player ratings from their season-opener.
PSG Player Ratings
Gianluigi Donnarumma - 6.5/10
Donnarumma made a decent start to the game and had a good first half, despite being surprised by a shot from Lorient skipper Laurent Abergel. He did not make a single save but passed the ball with 100% accuracy.
Achraf Hakimi - 8/10
Hakimi had a tame start to the game offensively, but was required to track back promptly to prevent the visitors from attacking. He made four interceptions and played six key passes.
Hakimi was also effective with his runs down the right wing, playing in decent crosses which were just short of a teammate.
Danilo Pereira - 7/10
Pereira made a good start to the game and distributed the well. He passed the ball with 96% accuracy and made two clearances in a composed display.
Milan Skriniar - 7/10
Skriniar looked comfortable playing alongside his new teammates as he loooks to nail down his starting spot. He passed the ball with 98% accuracy and won two duels.
Lucas Hernandez - 7.5/10
Hernandez made a positive start to the game and had a good first half. He was a rock in PSG's defensive third, winning eight of his nine duels, making three tackles in the process. He also played one key pass and five long balls.
Warren Zaire-Emery - 7/10
Zaire-Emery got into some really nice positions between Lorient's defensive lines but lacked the industry to drive forward with the ball to create chances. He passed the ball with 94% accuracy, including two long balls.
Manuel Ugarte - 8/10
Ugarte looked composed and calm in the middle of the park for PSG. He won eight duels, completed three dribbles and passed the ball with great accuracy as he kept the hosts' play ticking.
Vitinha - 7/10
Vitinha made a decent start to the game and passed the ball around sharply. He won two duels, making two interceptions and two tackles. He also played one key pass and two long balls.
Kang-in Lee - 7/10
Another summer signing, Kang-in Lee took some time before he caught up to the rhythm and pace of the game. He won four of his seven duels. Lee played one key pass but his crossing was very inaccurate as he completed just two from 12 attempts.
Goncalo Ramos - 7/10
Ramos still seems to be finding his feet as he learns the styles of his teammates, but added a key physical presence in the #9 position. He won five duels and attempted five shots, hitting the target once.
Marco Asensio - 7/10
Asensio had a relatively slow start to the game but slowly got up to speed as the Parisians controlled possession. He played three key passes and attempted one shot but failed to hit the target.
Substitutes
Fabian Ruiz - 6.5/10
Ruiz came on midway through the second period and had a decent game.
Carlos Soler - 7/10
Soler replaced Asensio in the 68th minute and had a decent cameo, attempting three shots and playing one key pass.
Hugo Ekitike & Marquinhos - N/A
The pair came on late in the game and did not play enough minutes to warrant a rating.
