Le Havre 1-5 PSG: Paris smash Le Havre as Achraf Hakimi bags a hat trick
Despite their eventual emphatic win, it was PSG who fell behind after eighteen minutes played at the Stade Oceane, when former West Brom striker Josh Maja turned in at the back post after a swift counterattack from the home team. PSG's equaliser seven minutes later was certainly a sign to come, as Achraf Hakimi moved high up the pitch to get on the end of a long ball, before delicately laying the ball on a plate for Mika Godts, who scored his second goal in a week to restore parity.
Paris thump relegation-threatened Le Havre
Hakimi then turned from provider to finisher, smashing in at the near post to give PSG the lead against the side who now sit alone at the foot of Ligue 1. In the second half PSG extended their lead, with Hakimi proving devastating again: he fired home a wonderful free kick to give PSG the lead, before scrapping in a third to claim an unlikely hat trick. In between those two goals however, Hakimi was even involved in PSG's fourth goal, as he played a though ball into the path of Senny Mayulu, who rounded the keeper before slotting home.
Overall it was another fine performance from PSG, whose league displays have markedly improved since the first few games of the season. PSG now sit on twenty points, two points away from Lille who are currently in second place. This game will mostly be remembered for Hakimi's brilliance, with his hat trick a rare feat for a full back: it's somewhat reminiscent of Layvin Kurzawa's hat trick for the Parisians all the way back in 2017, when the full back scored three in the 5-0 demolition of Anderlecht in the Champions League.
PSG and of course Luis Enrique will of course also be pleased with the fact that their side showed character and resilience in tonight's game, never looking likely to lose even after going a goal down, they responded quickly and decisively.
After the game, Luis Enrique was full of praise for his full-back Hakimi, as he described him as the world's best right back. He also emphasised the increasingly consistent nature of PSG's performances despite a number of injuries still looming over the squad.
PSG now have to travel to Spain in midweek to face Villarreal, before hosting Troyes in Ligue 1 next weekend. Troyes are above 18th place Le Havre in the Ligue 1 table, but only one place, meaning that PSG will actually have played the two bottom placed teams in succession over this week.
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