Paris delivered in the Arkema Première Ligue results: PSG Women thumped Nantes 5–2 at Campus PSG, Paris FC Women managed the Fleury derby 2–0 in Bondoufle, and champions Lyon kept it businesslike in a 2–0 derby win at Saint-Étienne. Between ruthlessness in both Paris camps and Lyon’s familiar control, the title race already feels like a three-way arm wrestle.
Paris FC’s derby: clinical and composed
Sandrine Soubeyrand’s side didn’t need volume to win the game; they needed timing. Teen forward Kenza Roche-Dufour broke it open on 43', and Lou Bogaert doubled it on 66' to beat FC Fleury 91, 2–0, at the Robert-Bobin. Behind them, Mylène Chavas set the tone with steady hands and command on crosses as Fleury chased. It’s two wins from two and, more importantly, two clean sheets — a tidy platform before Saint-Étienne visit Charléty on Friday.
Tactical snapshot: Paris FC’s 4-2-3-1 compacted without the ball, inviting Fleury wide and trusting Chavas plus first contacts to handle the flood of crosses. In possession, quick diagonals into Bogaert’s channel repeatedly bent Fleury’s back line.
PSG Women hit five — and find fluency
With Paulo César bedding in ideas and Sakina Karchaoui wearing the armband from midfield, PSG found tempo and width early against Nantes. An early own goal opened the door, Romée Leuchter finished at the second attempt for 2–0, and new signing Merveille Kanjinga attacked the back post for 3–0 before the break. After the interval Griedge Mbock rose from a set piece for 4–0; Nantes struck back through Maureen Cosson, but sub Florianne Jourde arrowed the fifth late on. Final score: 5–2.
What mattered: structure and variety. PSG built with a back three (De Almeida–Mbock–Gaetino), let Karchaoui step inside to overload, and used Ajibade’s directness to pin the right side. The finishing was shared across lines — a welcome change from last season’s reliance on one spearhead.
Lyon’s measured derby win
Lyon didn’t need fireworks to quiet Saint-Étienne. Lindsey Horan’s first-half header set the tone, and summer headline signing Marie-Antoinette Katoto sealed it on 76' with classic penalty-box timing. Jonatan Giráldez’s Lyon look comfortable toggling between patient circulation and vertical bursts; with back-to-back wins, they sit where they expect to be — on top.
Eye test: the left-side triangle of Bacha–Horan–Yohannes continues to suffocate pressure and progress play; Katoto’s gravity already stretches defensive lines.
Elsewhere around the league
- Marseille 1–2 Le Havre: Célestine Boisard’s fourth-minute header and Chancelle Effa Effa on 18' gave HAC all it needed; OM pulled one back via Mathilde Bourdieu from the spot on 45+1'. Brave late push, but the points went north.
- Dijon 2–1 Montpellier: Sonia Ouchene put MHSC ahead from the spot (16'), but Nadia Krezyman curled in an equaliser (67') and academy product Lina Gay pounced on 88' to nick it for DFCO. Big mood win at Gaston-Gérard.
- Strasbourg 2–2 Lens: Aude Gbedjissi opened for Lens (7'), Inès Konan answered with a rapid brace (22', 25'); Gbedjissi buried a late penalty for 2–2 on 86'. Loud day at La Meinau and a fair split.
“We deserved to win the match in the second half.”
Pierre-Alain Picard, DFCO head coach [translated]
Table check & what’s next
Top four after Matchday 2: Lyon 6 pts, Paris FC 6, PSG 4, Le Havre 4.
Matchday 3 headlines (Sept 26–27): Paris FC vs Saint-Étienne (Fri), then Lyon vs PSG (Sat) alongside Le Havre–Montpellier, Lens–Nantes, Dijon–Strasbourg, Marseille–Fleury. The first big swing game is obvious: Lyon-PSG at the Groupama, where Katoto meets her former club.
What it means next
If PSG carry this scoring spread into Lyon away, we’ll get a true barometer of César’s early tweaks. For Paris FC, the defensive base looks real; take care of Saint-Étienne on Friday and they’ll watch Lyon-PSG from joint-top.