Looking to bounce back from failing to finish in the top eight of the UEFA Champions League league phase in midweek, PSG were put under pressure early on by the hosts.
Diego Moreira fired off the first shot, which was comfortably saved by Matvey Safonov, before Willian Pacho headed well over at the other end, but the game’s first important moment came shortly before the 20-minute mark.
In the area, Marquinhos handled Abdoul Ouattara’s attempted flick past him and, although referee Eric Wattellier initially didn’t give a penalty, he changed his original decision following a trip to the pitchside monitor. However, from 12 yards, Safonov dived to save Joaquin Panichelli’s spot-kick to keep his side level.
Less than 120 seconds later, PSG made their opponents pay for that miss as they took the lead.
Stand-in captain Mamadou Sarr made a hash of his clearance, which hit Bradley Barcola instead and fell to Senny Mayulu, and he made no mistake as he swept into the corner.
Strasbourg bounced back shortly after, and Panichelli partially atoned for his error as he put the ball on a plate for Guela Dour to volley past Safonov.
Julio Enciso and Achraf Hakimi traded attempts on target not long before the break, but Safonov and Mike Penders were equal to their respective efforts.
After the restart, there was no drop in intensity, but both teams struggled to get clear sights of goal. PSG had the majority of possession, with Strasbourg looking to strike on the counter-attack, and while Le Racing found themselves in several dangerous positions, the final ball was often lacking in quality.
Nevertheless, the final 15 minutes were given an extra edge when Hakimi was sent off for a high challenge on Panichelli, giving Strasbourg extra impetus.
However, PSG showed resilience and, in the final 10 minutes, they retook the lead. Nuno Mendes was the goalscorer, slotting home from inside the area to strike a huge blow to their opponents.
In response, Strasbourg pushed forward, but the reigning Ligue 1 and European champions stood firm to prevail.
The loss is Gary O’Neil’s first since being appointed as head coach, while it is the club’s first in nine in all competitions. PSG, meanwhile, now lead RC Lens by two points at the summit and will be delighted in the way they recovered from the setback of losing Hakimi to clinch the victory.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Nuno Mendes (PSG)