Paris Saint-Germain tightened control of the Ligue 1 race with a 3-0 home win against Nantes, moving four points ahead of Lens and staying on course to defend the title, as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored twice and Desire Doue added another in a dominant display at Parc des Princes.

The result came only days after Paris Saint-Germain fell to Lyon, when a missed chance to extend their lead increased pressure on Luis Enrique and raised talk of rare successive league defeats under the coach, but this performance delivered a calm response and restored authority in the table.

The contest quickly tilted towards Paris Saint-Germain when a key moment arrived in the 13th minute, as a Marquinhos header struck the arm of Ali Youssif inside the area, and following a VAR review the referee pointed to the spot, allowing Kvaratskhelia to convert from 12 yards with a composed penalty.

Paris Saint-Germain almost doubled the advantage soon after, when Ousmane Dembele drove into the box and hit a low effort at the near post that Nantes captain Anthony Lopes blocked, yet the home side kept pressing and were rewarded with a second goal following a swift counter-attack that exposed the visitors’ defence.

The second goal came from a flowing Paris Saint-Germain move as Achraf Hakimi surged forward and slid a clever pass behind the Nantes back line for Desire Doue, who steadied with one touch before striking a powerful shot into the top-left corner, giving Lopes no chance and putting Luis Enrique’s team firmly in control.

Before half-time, Paris Saint-Germain continued to threaten as Dembele cut inside and drove another attempt that hit the side-netting, while Nantes struggled to create clear chances against an organised defence, leaving the visitors chasing shadows and heading into the break two goals down and under constant pressure at Parc des Princes.

Paris Saint-Germain sustain Ligue 1 control through second-half display

Any faint hopes of a Nantes comeback disappeared just five minutes after the restart, when Dembele collected possession near the edge of the area and slipped the ball into Kvaratskhelia, who weaved past Ali Youssif and Frederic Guilbert before bending a precise finish beyond Lopes, completing a stylish second goal on the night.

Kvaratskhelia almost secured a hat-trick on the hour mark, rising to meet a Senny Mayulu corner, but Lopes reacted superbly and tipped the header onto the crossbar, and moments later Fabian Ruiz also struck the woodwork when a deflected attempt clipped the right post, as Paris Saint-Germain comfortably managed the closing stages.

Paris Saint-Germain, Kvaratskhelia and Ligue 1 data breakdown

The victory held particular weight for Paris Saint-Germain, as defeat would have meant back-to-back Ligue 1 losses for only the second time under Luis Enrique, yet instead the squad responded with a controlled performance that provided breathing space over Lens and showcased the influence of Kvaratskhelia in the final third.

Since 11 March, the date of Paris Saint-Germain’s 5-2 defeat to Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie, no player across the top five European leagues in all competitions has scored more than Kvaratskhelia, whose tally of seven goals leads that group and underlines current form.

Against Nantes, Kvaratskhelia also topped several Paris Saint-Germain metrics with three successful dribbles, six duels won and three shots on target, while Desire Doue managed eight touches in the opposition box, one more than Paris Saint-Germain’s number seven, highlighting a broader attacking threat rather than reliance on a single player.

Advanced numbers further underlined Paris Saint-Germain’s superiority, as Luis Enrique’s side generated an expected goals figure of 2.15 from 14 shots and limited Nantes to 11 attempts worth 0.87 xG against Matvey Safonov, reflecting a match where the league leaders controlled chances at both ends and strengthened their title position.