Dazzling Dembele nets brace as PSG defeat Toulouse and extend Ligue 1 lead

[p]With a UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarter-final against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] on the horizon, Luis Enrique opted to start the likes of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marquinhos/UFfev8HP/"]Marquinhos[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vitinha/Sz9SH7zj/"]Vitinha[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendes-nuno/ne2xCTJj/"]Nuno Mendes[/a] on the bench for the visit of a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/toulouse/MLmY2yB1/"]Toulouse[/a] side languishing safely in mid-table.[/p][p]There were still some big hitters on show, though, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kvaratskhelia-khvicha/bNuGt0hE/"]Khvicha Kvaratskhelia[/a]’s curling long-range effort was pushed to safety by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/restes-guillaume/v3qqsoQi/"]Guillaume Restes[/a] in the opening exchanges, but it was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dembele-ousmane/zsMC2Ec0/"]Dembele[/a] who broke the deadlock.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mckenzie-mark/S44zFHdC/"]Mark McKenzie[/a] could only clear [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hakimi-achraf/MqFBkBsp/"]Achraf Hakimi[/a]’s cross into the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner’s path, and he unleashed a stunning first-time left-footed volley past Restes. [/b][/p][p]The hosts would have been expected to motor on from that point, but Les Violets restored parity just four minutes later thanks to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nicolaisen-rasmus/4vagAHJd/"]Rasmus Nicolaisen[/a].[/p][p][b]It was a horrible moment for stand-in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]PSG[/a] goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/safonov-matvey/zJF3W9Rq/"]Matvey Safonov[/a], who completely misjudged [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/casseres-cristian/4UatnyW3/"]Cristian Casseres[/a]’ corner and allowed the Dane to convert a fine header into the top corner.[/b][/p][embed guid="8c593cb9-9b46-4bdf-8f12-7b559f5d050a" url="https://x.com/Ligue1_ENG/status/2040166737136459780" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]This absorbing first half would take another twist, though, when Dembele scored his 10th Ligue 1 goal of the season with a close-range finish after Kvaratskhelia flicked on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lee-kangin/YTVIJfxO/"]Lee Kang-In[/a]'s corner.[/b][/p][p]PSG were showing little urgency in pursuit of a third after half-time, but Dembele was denied a hat-trick by the linesman’s flag when he tapped the ball in at the far post. [/p][p]Enrique’s men gradually increased their intensity, as substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/neves-joao/hCbYVsXQ/"]Joao Neves[/a] fired wide following a well-worked move involving [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doue-desire/KIUWH2Jq/"]Desire Doue[/a] and Kvaratskhelia.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pacho-william/KA5AQsy0/"]Willian Pacho[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zabarnyi-illia/8SehvaqF/"]Illia Zabarnyi[/a] were then denied at point-blank range by Restes, before Kvaratskhelia looked to take matters into his own hands with a speculative strike which grazed the roof of the net. In contrast, chances were few and far between for Toulouse, but another error from Safonov allowed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/donnum-aron/d2T8jid4/"]Aron Dønnum[/a] to take aim with an effort that sailed harmlessly wide.[/p][p][b]There was still time for the Parisians to add a third in stoppage time when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ramos-goncalo/xfW2M1Tt/"]Goncalo Ramos[/a] opened up his body and swept in a fine right-footed finish past Restes.[/b][/p][image alt="Match stats" id="4559082d-e2fb-4da9-8f4f-e4e885d77720" credit-line="StatsPerform via Opta" guid="ae78cb06-d564-4164-a90e-d10c8ae767c0" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Focus now turns to their UCL defence when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/slot-arne/lnG1OUjk/"]Arne Slot[/a]’s side visit the French capital on Wednesday, while Toulouse’s campaign seems to be petering out after missing the chance to win three consecutive Ligue 1 games in the same season for the first time since November 2024.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dembele-ousmane/zsMC2Ec0/"]Ousmane Dembele[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris Saint-Germain[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/psg-CjhkPw0k/toulouse-MLmY2yB1/?mid=f7ceLRnB"]Check out the match summary here.[/a][/b][/p]