Zabarnyi Header Secures Narrow Victory for PSG Over Troyes

Paris Saint-Germain continued their dominant form in Ligue 1, though they were forced to settle for a narrow 1-0 victory against recently promoted Troyes at the Parc des Princes. Centre-back Ilya Zabarnyi proved to be the unlikely hero, netting the decisive goal in a match where the hosts struggled to convert numerous opportunities.

The breakthrough arrived in the 38th minute following a well-worked set-piece. After Desire Doue played a short corner to Senny Mayulu, the youngster delivered a precise cross to the far post. Zabarnyi rose highest to meet the ball, directing a powerful header back across the goal and into the net to break the deadlock.

Despite the slender lead, the European champions were far from clinical in attack. Ferran Torres, who has faced a dip in form recently, was particularly frustrated as he missed several clear-cut chances. The Spanish forward failed to connect with a dangerous Doue cross and later fired wide after being played through on goal, leaving the match result in the balance until the final whistle.

Late Drama in Paris

Troyes grew in confidence as the game progressed and nearly punished PSG’s wastefulness. Renaud Ripart missed a significant chance to equalize shortly after the restart, dragging his shot wide of Matvey Safonov’s goal. The visitors thought they had snatched a point seven minutes from time when Lucas Maronnier found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

The result marks an 11th consecutive victory for Luis Enrique’s side across all competitions. This hard-fought win ensures PSG remain three points clear of local rivals Paris FC at the summit of the French league table, even as they contend with a growing injury list that includes Achraf Hakimi and Maghnes Akliouche.