Safonov's Errors Trouble PSG Against Metz

Matvey Safonov played his third game for PSG within eight days. This time, some controversial aspects of the goalkeeper's performance were noted. Given Lyuka Shevalier’s recovery from injury, Safonov faces a risk of being benched again for an indefinite period. During the match at the Saint-Symphorien Stadium in Metz, PSG defeated underdogs Metz 3-2. Gonçalo Ramos opened the scoring in the 31st minute, followed by Quentin Nguette’s goal in the 39th minute, strengthening PSG’s lead. The hosts responded in the 42nd minute with a goal from Jessy Demingué. Desire Doué, who came on at the start of the second half, scored PSG’s third goal in the 63rd minute. A goal by Giorgi Tsitaishvili in the 81st minute reignited the intrigue, but PSG held on to secure the victory. The sports outlet Euro-Futbol.ru provided its subjective ratings for PSG players' performances in the match. Warren Zaïre-Emery: 3.5. In some episodes, he dispossessed opponents in their half, creating opportunities for PSG's sharp attacks. However, he failed to contain Tsitaishvili in his primary defensive zone on the right flank. Chances created from that flank led to two goals for Metz. William Pacho and Ilya Zabarnyi: 4.0. Although the central defenders achieved a passing accuracy of over 95%, they lost most of their duels and appeared unreliable in positional play. Such performances might prove insufficient during the Champions League playoffs. Pacho also failed to clear the ball effectively and confidently during the first goal. Matvey Safonov: 4.5. His statistical measurement for shots on target stood at -0.98. Demingué’s shot, taken from a distance and near the center of the goal, highlighted Safonov's struggle to reposition quickly after reacting to a blocked shot, leaving him cemented at the near post. Tsitaishvili’s goal, a precise shot to the far corner, is harder to criticize Safonov for. At 1-2, Safonov’s save on Kouao’s shot prevented an equalizer, keeping PSG ahead. Following this save, PSG launched a swift counterattack from a corner near their goal, resulting in the decisive goal of the match. Gonçalo Ramos: 5.0. He excelled in aerial duels, delivering two dangerous shots, one of which resulted in a goal. However, Ramos missed additional scoring opportunities during the game. Had he chosen shooting over extended dribbling in several instances, he might have scored one or two more goals. Additionally, he won only one-third of his duels; improving this metric could have heightened PSG's attacking pressure. Author: Kirill Ivantsov Read “Zamin” on Telegram!