Willian Pacho struggles against Mbappé but PSG salvage 2-2 draw at Lille

He started strong, with clean passes out of the back and the composure he usually shows when it's his job to build play from deep. But Willian Pacho's match against Lille had a bit of everything, and not all of it was pretty. PSG salvaged a 2-2 in a game that turned out far tougher than expected, in matchday 2 of the 2026/2027 Ligue 1 season.

The Ecuadorian was paired again at center back with Marquinhos, and for the opening minutes he looked comfortable, almost dictating terms. The trouble started when he had to mark Ethan Mbappé, who beat him time and again with speed and physical power. That's when Pacho began losing his footing, and the discomfort ended up costing his side.

In the 22nd minute, Lille found the opener: Olivier Giroud got past the Ecuadorian with a precise pass to Arnar Haraldsson, who finished with a powerful strike into the corner for the 1-0. It wasn't an isolated moment either; on the counter, the home side was clearly winning the race against the visiting defender.

The response after the break

In the second half, the game changed complexion. Pacho no longer struggled as much defensively and even pushed forward at times, looking to link up with Fabián Ruiz and Vitinha to help build attacks. Still, the Paris defense was exposed again when Dilane Bakwa scored to make it 2-0, a goal that at times looked like it had sealed the result.

That's when PSG threw everything forward. The Ecuadorian shifted out wide to help win back possession, driving his team on in a desperate final stretch. The persistence paid off: in stoppage time, Vitinha and Marquinhos struck to make it a final 2-2, allowing the Paris side to avoid a defeat that had seemed all but written.

Pacho played the full 90 minutes with a steady statistical output: 94% passing accuracy, two aerial duels won out of four contested, and two interceptions. An uneven performance, sure, but one with enough grit to see it through to the end.

With this draw, PSG sit in sixth place with two points at the start of the Ligue 1 campaign, and already have their next match in mind: they'll host Monaco next Friday, needing to show a more solid defensive side of their game.