Dembélé destroys Lille and lifts PSG back on top of Ligue 1

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PSG's Ousmane Dembele, right, challenges for the ball with Lille's Hakon Arnar Haraldsson during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille in Paris, France, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PSG's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille in Paris, France, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) — PSG's Ousmane Dembele, right, challenges for the ball with Lille's Hakon Arnar Haraldsson during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille in Paris, France, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

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5:20 PM on Friday, January 16

The Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — Ousmane Dembélé put transfer talk behind him and scored a crucial brace for Paris Saint-Germain in a 3-0 win over Lille that returned it to the top of Ligue 1 on Friday.

French media last week reported that the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner rejected a new contract offer.

His coach Luis Enrique called the speculation fake news and Dembélé’s focus was razor sharp in a game between two of the league’s top four.

His 12th-minute strike from more than 20 meters out gave the Lille goalkeeper no chance and his second 18 minutes into the second half was a reminder of why he picked up that Ballon d’Or.

With four defenders in front of him, Dembélé somehow found space to chip the most audacious of shots that bamboozled keeper Berke Ozer and dropped in just under the crossbar.

Substitute Bradley Barcola, another whose future has been subject to speculation, rounded off the scoring in injury time when he pounced on slack defending and slammed home the third.

The win settled nerves at the defending champion just days after city rival Paris FC knocked it out of the French Cup.

Friday’s win lifted PSG back atop the league table, two points clear of Lens which has a game in hand on Saturday against second-to-last Auxerre.

Lille remained fourth, 10 points back.

Monaco lose again

Monaco fell to its seventh defeat in eight games after another poor performance, this time at home to Lorient 3-1.

Lorient’s Bamba Dieng had a goal disallowed in the first half but he got one that counted midway through the second period. The Senegalese forward seized on a mistake by the Monaco defense.

Ansu Fati equalized eight minutes later but goals from Jean-Victor Makengo in the 85th minute and Dermane Karim three minutes from time gave visiting Lorient all three points and extended its unbeaten run to nine games in all competitions.

Lorient was one point behind ninth-placed Monaco.

It was another unhappy start to the weekend for Monaco, whose record in Friday night games fell to won two, drawn five, lost nine.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer