PARIS —
Kylian Mbappe scored twice from
Lionel Messi assists as an impressive Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to
beat Saint-Etienne 3-1 and further extend their lead at the top of Ligue 1 on
Saturday.
اضافة اعلان
Denis Bouanga put the struggling visitors in front
at the
Parc des Princes only for Mbappe to equalize just before the interval,
and the France striker struck again just after the restart.
He then set up
Danilo Pereira to head in the hosts’ third goal as Mauricio Pochettino’s team
bounced back after losing 3-1 away at Nantes last weekend and moved 16 points
clear of Nice and Marseille as they cruise towards the French title.
PSG were three goals behind at half-time against
Nantes and they were punished for a slow start here, Gabon international
Bouanga pouncing on a mistake by Pereira to fire past
Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Yet the home side eventually came to life and Mbappe
continued his outstanding recent run of form, with his brace taking him on to
24 goals in all competitions this season.
Mbappe has now scored 156 goals in a PSG shirt,
equalling Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s tally from his four-year spell in Paris between
2012 and 2016.
Only
Edinson Cavani, with 200, has scored more goals
for the club.
“It is not easy to describe his performances. He is
incredible. I am proud of him,” said Pochettino.
Mbappe was withdrawn to a standing ovation late on
at the Parc des Princes, where supporters kept themselves warm on a bitterly
cold night by performing a Mexican wave as their team turned on the style.
The World Cup-winning striker will now serve a
suspension and so will miss next weekend’s trip to Nice which will be followed
by the second leg of PSG’s
Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid in
Spain on March 9.
There Paris will defend the 1-0 advantage given to
them by Mbappe’s goal in the first leg.
Here he scored the equalizer three minutes before
the interval, latching onto Messi’s excellent pass and firing in a shot that
Saint-Etienne goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni should have saved.
Messi then produced another terrific pass for Mbappe
to emphatically fire in two minutes after the restart to put the home side
ahead.
“He is magnificent. All that was lacking today was a
goal,” Pochettinto told broadcaster Canal Plus of Messi’s influence.
“We are gradually playing better and better.”
The third goal arrived in the 52nd minute as Mbappe
delivered a superb cross with the outside of his right boot for Portuguese
midfielder Pereira to head in, and PSG then came close to adding to their lead
on several occasions.
Angel Di Maria, on as a substitute, hit the post
direct from a corner, while the lively Neymar and Georginio Wijnaldum also
struck the woodwork late on.
Saint-Etienne remain just a point above the
relegation zone before their rivals at the foot of the table all play on
Sunday.
Earlier Nice leapfrogged
Marseille into second on
goal difference with a 0-0 draw away at Strasbourg, who sit in fifth place.
Rennes are above them in fourth on goal difference
after winning 4-2 away at Montpellier on Friday.
Marseille play on Sunday at Troyes while Lyon take
on Lille, who lost 2-0 at Chelsea in the Champions League in midweek.
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