Kylian Mbappe’s first-half strike helped lift 10-man Paris St Germain to a 2-0 victory at Le Havre after Gianluigi Donnarumma was sent off 10 minutes into the Ligue 1 contest.
Hosts Le Havre at times came close to an equaliser, but instead saw their five-game unbeaten streak snapped while making it five games in six without a goal.
Vitinha netted against the run of play in the 89th minute to seal the result for PSG, who have now won seven consecutive league matches for the first time since September 2021.
The result gave the league leaders a boost after Tuesday’s disappointing Champions League draw against Newcastle, with the Parisians now four points ahead of second-placed Nice.
Le Havre wasted a golden chance after the ball pinged around the 18-yard box before landing at the feet of Gautier Lloris, who would have netted an opener but for the quick reaction of Carlos Soler to clear off the line.
Then goalkeeper Donnarumma, already under scrutiny, completely misjudged a challenge on Josue Casimir and immediately saw red for a high boot.
On came Arnau Tenas to make his PSG debut, replacing forward Bradley Barcola, who boss Luis Enrique decided would be the necessary sacrifice.
The visitors would not be pinned back and Mbappe was first denied by a good save by Arthur Desmas with a left-footed effort but made no mistake with his second attempt, firing through three blue shirts from centre before the ball clipped the inside of the post and crossed in for a 23rd-minute opener.
Mbappe had the ball in the back of the net again before the break but the offside flag was raised, while Casimir could only watch agonisingly on when what should have been an equaliser sailed just wide of the post after finding himself in space inside the area.
Le Havre, desperate get something out of the man advantage, applied more pressure to begin the second half as Yassine Kechta forced Tenas to tip the ball over the crossbar, while Mohamed Bayo sent a weak effort into the arms of the replacement PSG goalkeeper.
Ousmane Dembele nearly doubled the Parisians’ advantage, his effort clipping the edge of the post before going wide, before Tenas saved Danilo Pereira from scoring an own goal after Bayo’s attempt took a deflection off the PSG defender.
Pereira would soon prevent substitute Nabil Alioui a chance at levelling, while the hosts showed off their own defensive prowess when Christopher Operi prevented a threatening Dembele from getting a decent shot away.
Alioui skied an effort then twice-tested Tenas, who was quick to react at his near post as the hosts desperately searched for an equaliser, Antoine Joujou side-footing the ball past the post before Alioui tried again.
But there was no coming back after Vitinha’s strike took a deflection off Lloris and in to cap off a disappointing ending to a once-promising afternoon for the hosts.
Madrid's two-goal hero Diaz turns focus to Champions League glory after Granada win
Real Madrid swept aside already relegated Granada in LaLiga on Saturday but Los Blancos attacker Brahim Diaz says all focus is on lifting the Champions League.
Diaz was twice on target as Madrid eased to a 4-0 away victory, with Fran Garcia and Arda Guler also finding the net for Carlo Ancelotti's side.
Madrid had already been crowned LaLiga champions last weekend before edging through their Champions League semi-final clash with Bayern Munich in midweek.
The Spanish giants meet Borussia Dortmund in UEFA's showpiece at Wembley Stadium on June 1 – and the Champions League trophy was on Diaz's mind after defeating Granada.
"We all wanted to show that we want to get maximum points in the league. I'm very happy with the goals," Diaz told RMTV.
"I reached 12 goals and seven assists. It's very easy to play here, with these team-mates.
"The most important thing is the titles. We already have the [Spanish] Super Cup, the league and we want the Champions League."
Granada remain in 19th place with 21 points, while 15th-placed Mallorca's victory over Las Palmas earlier in the day confirmed their relegation after just one season in the top flight.
"You could have expected it, of course, but when Mallorca wins it becomes mathematical and getting relegated, it's one of the most complicated games we've ever played," Granada's Carlos Neva told DAZN.
"I told my team-mates that we should finish fighting, with our heads held high. We should enjoy the top flight, because we don't know if we'll ever play in it again."
Madrid head coach Ancelotti, meanwhile, had words of encouragement for the relegated side.
"In sport you have to look at defeat too, it has to be an opportunity to do better in the future," the Italian told his post-match press conference.
"Granada is an important club and they will try everything to get promoted next season and they have the chance to do it."
Terzic slams Mainz showing after Dortmund suffer Champions League hangover
Edin Terzic warned Borussia Dortmund must swiftly forget about their Champions League heroics in Paris after a 3-0 humbling by Mainz on Saturday.
Lee Jae-Sung twice punished a sloppy Dortmund performance after Leandro Barreiro had opened the scoring for relegation-battling Mainz in their Bundesliga clash.
That abject performance came after BVB managed a 1-0 away victory against Paris Saint-Germain, progressing to the Champions League final after a 2-0 aggregate victory over Luis Enrique's side.
Dortmund head coach Terzic was far from impressed after defeat against Mainz left his side four points adrift of fourth-placed RB Leipzig in the German top flight.
"Let's let Paris be Paris and talk about last week and this week," Terzic told Sky Sport Germany.
"The starting position was similar to last week. Except now we were always late and outnumbered.
"It was a deserved defeat, especially because of the first half."
Marco Reus echoed Terzic's sentiment after Dortmund came crashing back down to earth following their European success.
"If you see the first half, it's deserved, even at the highest level," the Dortmund veteran added.
"We expect more from ourselves. There was still a lot at stake for Mainz.
"It was important for us to continue to gain self-confidence. That just was not good today. This is a pity."
Dortmund will hope to respond when they host Darmstadt next Saturday before their Champions League final against Real Madrid on June 1 at Wembley Stadium.
Wolves have work to do as promising season fizzles out, says O'Neil
Wolves boss Gary O'Neil says there is a "lot of work to be done" at Molineux ahead of next season, after their downturn continued with a 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Michael Olise, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eberechi Eze were on target as Wolves were beaten in their final home game of the campaign, with the in-form Eagles making it five wins in six matches.
Wolves have won just one of their last 10 games in all competitions (two draws, seven defeats), a run which began with a dramatic FA Cup quarter-final collapse against Coventry City in March.
After beating Fulham 2-1 on March 9, O'Neil's team sat eighth in the Premier League table, just one point adrift of the top seven.
However, injuries to key attackers Pedro Neto, Hwang Hee-chan and Matheus Cunha stunted their momentum and a once-promising campaign will now fizzle out to a bottom-half finish.
O'Neil has previously said Wolves will not be able to spend big in the transfer market ahead of 2024-25, but he knows they need to strengthen.
"There's lots that we have to improve," he said. "In the first two thirds of the season we looked like a team chasing Europe, and in the last third of the season you could see the issues that we've had and those have come to light.
"As a football club, we need to have a real good look at the last few weeks.
"People are starting to come back, and we still haven't managed to regain that impetus and momentum that we had before.
"There's a lot of work to be done between now and the start of next season, and a tough away game next week at Anfield."
Wolves go to Liverpool for their last game of the season next week, as the Reds' final opponents under departing boss Jurgen Klopp.
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