With the aim of providing our readers with richer content, we decided to launch a section analyzing the key moments in a match, whether they be goals scored or conceded, beautiful moves, near misses, and so on. The goal is to determine the degree of collective or individual success or failure in each action. Here is the latest installment. It features a sequence from the 3-0 victory over Brest on Matchday 9 of Ligue 1 2025-2026. It is the opening goal by Achraf Hakimi (26-year-old right back).
The situation when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia provokes in the center.
Kvaratskhelia comes in from the right to attack down the middle, with his teammates trying to offer options up front. Here we see a “double attack” down the right, with Warren Zaïre-Emery (19-year-old midfielder) pushing towards goal and forcing the defense to tighten up, while Senny Mayulu (19-year-old midfielder/forward) acts as a target in front of the penalty spot.
Hakimi takes advantage of this to make a run into the box and could perhaps have been played in. The Brest player marking him is not as quick off his line and he gets in behind the defender who is focused on Zaïre-Emery. It’s not easy, but it was an interesting possibility for attacking this block.
However, it wasn’t convincing enough for Kvaratskhelia, unless he didn’t see Hakimi because he was focused on Zaïre-Emery. The Georgian ultimately stayed in the center and passed back to Lee Kang-In (24-year-old midfielder/forward).
The situation when Lee Kang-In receives the ball.
Lee doesn’t have many options when he receives the ball, but he does particularly well with his backheel pass to Vitinha (the 25-year-old midfielder who is just out of the picture on the left). On the pass, it is interesting to see that Bradley Barcola (23-year-old forward) continues to stretch the defense, while Kvaratskhelia continues his run, taking opponents with him. Mayulu is still fixed in the center.
Zaire-Emery comes back after his forward run that was not served. This will have a significant effect, which we will see more clearly in the next image. Hakimi, who never stops, moves into the space left in the defense in order to move towards the goal. It should be noted that the Brest player next to him could be a little more focused on his marking.
The situation when Vitinha takes the information.
Vitinha has time to control the ball and take in all the information. Barcola could have been played in on the left, and the defender gives him space to avoid a run towards goal. This is important, as it allows Hakimi to get into the gap without being offside. Mayulu also continues to occupy the center of defense.
Also, and perhaps most importantly, Zaïre-Emery’s run created a huge space. The defender, who had been focused on him since his run into the box, follows him a little, not quite sure whether he should really come out or not. He stops fairly quickly to get back into the back line. It’s already too late, Hakimi has positioned himself and is asking for the ball, while the Brest player next to him remains very cautious. Perhaps he was betting on an offside? In any case, it’s a big mistake that PSG takes full advantage of.
In any case, we see PSG’s famous fluid movements and a Zaïre-Emery who is a little more daring than last season, which allows for an offensive even without touching the ball at the end of the action.
