Ferran Torres scores winner as PSG beat Brest 1-0 for first Ligue 1 win

Paris Saint-Germain finally have their first win of the Ligue 1 season. After an unusually slow start for a team that dominates French football with absolute authority, Luis Enrique’s side beat Brest 1-0 on matchday four to end a three-game winless run. Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the match, further cementing his status as a key attacking figure for PSG and taking his tally to six since joining the club.

• PSG secure their first Ligue 1 victory after four rounds of fixtures.
• Ferran Torres scores the game’s only goal and reaches six goals in French football.
• Safonov keeps PSG ahead with a string of outstanding saves, including a vital low stop late on.
• Luis Enrique is forced to replace Achraf Hakimi before half-time due to physical problems.

Ferran Torres strikes early to settle the contest in Brest

The game swung in PSG’s favour almost immediately. After just five minutes, a slick team move ended with Dembélé back-heeling the ball into the path of Ferran Torres on the edge of the box. The Spanish forward, no stranger to delivering on the biggest stages, placed a soft, precise finish inside the far post to make it 0-1. It was his sixth goal since arriving in France and another reminder of his growing importance in Luis Enrique’s setup.

PSG control the early stages before Hakimi goes off injured

With the lead secured, Paris Saint-Germain dominated the opening half hour and created several openings against Selvik’s goal. For all their territorial control, however, the home goalkeeper was rarely forced into meaningful saves. Brest, powered along by their supporters, gradually worked their way into the contest and began to trouble Safonov with a few warning signs.

The biggest concern of the first half for PSG was the enforced substitution of Achraf Hakimi. The Moroccan full-back felt physical discomfort and was replaced by Fabián before the break, forcing Luis Enrique to adjust his structure heading into the interval.

Safonov emerges as PSG’s hero in a frantic second half

The second half produced a completely different tempo. The match opened up into an end-to-end battle with chances at both ends. Brest squandered a golden opportunity when a one-on-one effort crashed off the post, while PSG had a second goal disallowed for a foul by Warren Zaïre-Emery in the build-up. In that exchange of blows, Safonov stepped forward as the main protagonist, producing a stunning save from point-blank range on a header that looked destined for the net.

The Russian goalkeeper stood tall throughout and gave his team much-needed composure as they lost the attacking rhythm of the first half. Luis Enrique responded by rotating his entire front line, though it was striking that Kvaratskhelia and Dembélé left the pitch before Ferran Torres. The Spanish striker eventually came off at the same time as his compatriot Dro Fernández, another former Barcelona player.

PSG dig deep to protect their lead in the closing minutes

In the final minutes, the two-time European champions had no choice but to roll up their sleeves and defend the result. Brest pushed with more spirit than clarity, but they kept running into an inspired Safonov. The Russian keeper made another crucial low save to deny the home side’s last big chance and secure all three points for the capital club.

The win comes as a huge relief for PSG after an unusual start to their Ligue 1 campaign. Luis Enrique’s men finally have their first league victory and will look to build momentum as they chase another domestic title and compete for major honours in Europe.

Frequently asked questions about PSG’s win over Brest