Ligue 1: PSG Held to Surprise Draw by Resilient Nantes

Nantes produced a stunning defensive display to hold reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain to a 1-1 draw in Ligue 1.

Nantes produced a resilient defensive display to hold reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain to a 1-1 draw, despite the league leaders dominating the match. PSG's draw saw them move seven points clear at the top of Ligue 1, but it also ended their run of five consecutive victories against Nantes.

PSG made a blistering start, taking the lead within two minutes. Nuno  Mendes sprinted past Fabien Centonze and delivered a cross that Gonçalo Ramos cleverly flicked into the path of Achraf Hakimi. The Moroccan defender then slotted the ball past Nantes' goalkeeping debutant Patrik Carlgren at the back post.

Patrik Carlgren's debut as Nantes' goalkeeper got off to a challenging start, but he quickly redeemed himself with a string of impressive saves. After conceding the early goal, Carlgren spread himself to deny Vitinha's effort, following Lee Kang-in's miscued shot from Bradley Barcola's cross.

As the match progressed, Carlgren continued to thwart PSG's attacks, making crucial saves to deny Achraf Hakimi and Barcola. Meanwhile, Nantes' Matthis Abline was unlucky not to connect cleanly with Nicolas Cozza's cross. However, Abline made amends in stunning fashion on 38 minutes, carrying the ball upfield before expertly beating Willian Pacho and driving past Gianluigi Donnarumma to level the score.

The equalizer breathed new life into the contest, with PSG pushing to regain the lead. However, Lee Kang-in lacked composure in front of goal, wasting an opportunity to put PSG back in front. Carlgren continued to impress, repelling Nuno Mendes' strike, while Joao Neves' follow-up effort dribbled wide.

The equalizer came as a surprise to PSG, who had dominated possession with over 80% control before the break. However, the capital club struggled to replicate their fast start in the second half, allowing Nantes to gain a foothold in the match.

As the match wore on, Nantes continued to keep PSG at bay, thanks in large part to the exceptional defensive leadership of Nicolas Pallois. In response, PSG manager Luis Enrique made a double substitution, introducing Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué in place of Lee Kang-in and Bradley Barcola, while also bringing on teenager Warren Zaire-Emery for Joao Neves earlier in the half.

Nantes, under the guidance of former PSG manager Antoine Kombouaré, held firm to secure a crucial point in their battle for survival. This hard-fought draw ended a streak of five consecutive defeats against PSG, providing a much-needed boost to Nantes' morale.

Despite dropping points, PSG remain unbeaten in the league this season and are on track to secure their fourth consecutive title. Luis Enrique's side will look to bounce back from this setback when they travel to Auxerre next Friday.