A remarkable moment unfolded as the teenage duo of Ndjantou and Mbaye shone brightly in Paris Saint-Germain’s thrilling 3-2 victory over Metz, propelling PSG back to the pinnacle of Ligue 1.
The match, held on December 13, 2025, saw Quentin Enzo Leo Ndjantou Mbitcha score his inaugural goal for the team, while his teammate Ibrahim Mbaye contributed with two crucial assists. Alongside these young talents, Goncalo Ramos and substitute Desire Doue also found the net, securing a vital win for the Parisians.
Coach Luis Enrique expressed his admiration for Ndjantou, stating, "Ndjantou is the surprise of the beginning of the season -- he has this quality of running from deep and making himself available for the ball. He possesses traits of both a midfielder and a forward, and we have high expectations for him."
Equally pleased with Mbaye's performance, Enrique noted, "We believe in his qualities. He showcased a level of play beyond what we usually see—more freedom and confidence, performing excellently both with and without the ball."
With an Intercontinental Cup final against Brazil’s Flamengo looming just four days away, Luis Enrique opted to rest several key players for the trip to northeastern France. Notably, despite being a recent Ballon d'Or winner, Ousmane Dembele was sidelined due to illness. Other players, including Doue, Bradley Barcola, Joao Neves, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, also remained on the bench, giving the 17-year-old Mbaye and 18-year-old Ndjantou a chance to shine in attack alongside Ramos.
Despite the young players' promising display, Enrique admitted he had concerns about his team’s overall performance, attributing the issues to the numerous changes in the lineup. "I was afraid, very afraid. Metz, especially in the second half, kept themselves in the match right to the end," he remarked, acknowledging that his squad had "lost control" during the latter stages of the game.
The contest picked up momentum towards the end of the first half after a relatively subdued opening period. Ramos opened the scoring with a powerful header from a cross by Lee Kang-in at the 31-minute mark. Just eight minutes later, Ndjantou scored by sliding in to convert a wicked cross from Mbaye, doubling PSG’s lead.
However, Metz responded quickly; Jessy Deminguet found the net with a well-struck shot from outside the box just three minutes after Ndjantou’s goal, bringing the score to 2-1.
In the second half, Danish goalkeeper Jonathan Fischer made an impressive save to deny Ramos and keep Metz in the game. Habib Diallo had a chance to level the score but missed the target when his volley went wide of the post.
Doue ultimately appeared to secure the win for PSG when he sprinted 70 yards downfield after being released by Mbaye, calmly placing the ball past Fischer to make it 3-1. Mbaye himself nearly added to the score shortly thereafter, hitting the woodwork in the 71st minute.
As the match neared its conclusion, Georgian player Georgi Tsitaishvili gave Metz a glimmer of hope with a curling strike from outside the area, narrowing the gap to 3-2. Nevertheless, PSG managed to hold on for the win.
Looking ahead, Lens has a chance to reclaim the top spot in Ligue 1 if they can defeat Nice, who have been struggling with eight consecutive losses across all competitions. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Rennes secured a 3-1 comeback victory over Brest, marking their fifth win in the last six Ligue 1 matches.
