PSG march on with 11th straight win

Illia Zabarnyi scored the only goal of the game as a weakened Paris Saint-Germain claimed an unspectacular 1-0 win over Troyes in Ligue 1 on Saturday to make it 11 consecutive victories in all competitions. Ukraine defender Zabarnyi headed in Senny Mayulu's cross to break the deadlock in the 39th minute at the Parc des Princes, and that proved sufficient to beat their newly-promoted opponents who lie in the bottom three. PSG were without a host of key players, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele, Nuno Mendes, Maghnes Akliouche and captain Marquinhos all injured while Achraf Hakimi was rested and Joao Neves started as a substitute. They still had enough to beat their dogged but limited opponents, with Troyes expected to struggle to secure Ligue 1 survival despite the backing of the City Football Group. Fresh from hammering Villarreal 6-0 away in the Champions League in midweek, Luis Enrique's PSG side have now won seven games on the bounce in Ligue 1 and are now three points clear of Paris FC at the top of the table. Their 11-game winning streak in all competitions is their longest run of consecutive victories under Luis Enrique, who was appointed in 2023. "It is so difficult and rare to achieve," Luis Enrique said of the winning run. "Football is always a really hard game to control. But I am happier to have won the eight games since the last international break than the 11 in a row overall. "After the players come back from international duty we will try to keep doing the same thing." Zabarnyi's goal, which followed a quickly-taken Desire Doue corner, was his second of the season and the expectation was that PSG would go on to run out emphatic winners. However, Spain World Cup final hero Ferran Torres failed to make the most of several promising openings -- he has now gone eight games without a goal after netting seven times in his first six PSG appearances. "There's no need to be worried for him. It's normal. What matters to me is that the attacking players keep getting chances, and today their goalkeeper played very well," Luis Enrique added. - Paris FC give chase - As PSG fans let off fireworks at one point in the second half, Troyes saw Renaud Ripart put a great chance wide before Lucas Maronnier had a late effort disallowed for offside. PSG are next in action after the international break away to Nice in a fortnight, before the reigning European champions host Roma in the Champions League. Earlier on Saturday, PSG's neighbours Paris FC won 1-0 away to Auxerre thanks to a second-half goal by in-form striker Lassine Sinayoko. Mali forward Sinayoko, a summer signing from Auxerre, opportunistically turned in an assist by Pablo Pagis, who was called up to the France squad for the first time by new coach Zinedine Zidane on Friday. Sinayoko, 26, is the top scorer in Ligue 1 with nine goals in 10 games. Liam Rosenior's Paris FC are second, three points behind PSG. However, Lille and Lyon are both within striking distance of the two capital clubs before they play on Sunday. Also on Sunday, Lens play host to Marseille seeking to erase the nightmare memory of Wednesday’s 9-1 Champions League loss at home to Como, which was a record-equalling defeat in the competition. as/iwd