By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Moses Simon was the hero as Paris FC claimed their first-ever Ligue 1 victory, edging Metz 3-2 in a pulsating clash at the Stade Jean-Bouin.
The newly promoted Parisians, who had stumbled in their opening fixtures, fell behind early but mounted a spirited comeback. Simon was at the heart of it, scoring one goal and providing an assist to ignite the home crowd in their first top-flight match on home soil.
After going into the break level, Paris FC kept up the intensity. Simon almost struck again with a thunderous effort just over the bar before turning provider, sending in a pinpoint cross for Ilan Kebbal to put the hosts 2-1 ahead.
Metz hit back quickly as a mix-up between Maxime Lopez and goalkeeper Kevin Trapp gifted Boubacar Traoré the equaliser in the 54th minute.
The setback only spurred Paris FC on, and their pressure paid dividends in the 67th minute. Lopez redeemed himself with a long pass that released Simon, who produced a stunning cross-shot finish to restore the advantage.
Metz’s hopes of a late rally faded when Sadibou Sané was sent off in the 80th minute. The hosts held their nerve to seal a historic win, sparking celebrations among the jubilant supporters.
The result eases early pressure on Paris FC while underlining Simon’s status as a talisman in their debut Ligue 1 campaign.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
