Mbappe beats PSG record as champions extend lead
PARIS: Kylian Mbappe became Paris St Germain’s all-time top scorer when he helped his side extend their Ligue 1 lead to a provisional 11 points in a 4-2 home win against Nantes in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Mbappe found the back of the net two minutes into stoppage time for his 201st goal in all competitions with PSG, improving the mark he shared with Edinson Cavani.
PSG, who travel to Bayern Munich next week hoping to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit in the Champions League last 16, were 2-0 up after 17 minutes following goals by Lionel Messi and Jaouen Hadjam’s own goal, only for the Canaries to level before the break thanks to Ludovic Blas and Ignatius Ganago.
Christophe Galtier’s side, however, wrapped up all three points after Danilo’s goal around the hour mark and Mbappe’s last-gasp strike, which put them on 63 points from 26 games.
PSG got off to a dream start as Messi opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a left-footed volley form Fabian Ruiz’s cross.
Five minutes later, Alban Lafont parried Nuno Mendes’s attempt into the path of Hadjam who, under pressure from Nordi Mukiele, bundled the ball into his own net to give PSG a 2-0 advantage.
In the 31st minute, however, Blas whipped a fine shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma to reduce the arrears, seven minutes before Ganago deflected a corner past the Italian keeper to level the contest.
But 15 minutes into the second half, ordered was restored as Danilo headed home from Mbappe’s cross before the France forward netted his record goal with a left-footed effort from inside the box.
Injured Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi watched from the stands at the Parc des Princes a day after he was charged with rape following accusations made by a 24-year-old woman.
Coach Christophe Galtier lost another defender to injury in the second half of this game, with skipper Marquinhos coming off in some discomfort with what looked a side strain.
Earlier, RC Lens’s Champions League hopes suffered another knock when they were held to a 1-1 home draw in the northern derby.
Although the result lifted Lens to third in the standings on 51 points, Franck Haise’s team have now only won one of their last seven league matches and have Monaco and Stade Rennais, who have a game in hand, within five points behind them.
The home team had the upper hand in the first half and went ahead thanks a Jose Fonte own goal, but Jonathan David equalised after the break before Brice Samba made numerous spectacular saves to salvage a draw at the Bollaert-Delelis stadium.
Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2023