Kylian Mbappé scored twice in Paris Saint-Germain's 3-1 win at Metz as the champions went top of the Ligue 1 Uber Eats table.
THE MATCH
This was the perfect fillip for PSG ahead of hosting Manchester City in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday. Mauricio Pochettino's side were good value for the three points even if Metz had threatened to spoil the capital club's party when Fabien Centonze (46') cancelled out Mbappé's early opener (4').
PSG took the lead when Ander Herrera lifted the ball in behind the home defence, Mbappé controlled with his chest and then finished in style. Neymar (16') went close with a free-kick from 25 metres in a first half that was short on chances.
Metz scored their first goal in four matches to equalise at the start of the second period as Centonze headed in an excellent whipped cross by Fraid Boulaya. Pape Sarr (53') brought the best out of Keylor Navas but the winless run for Frédéric Antonetti's side was destined to be extended to seven matches (D2, 5L).
Mbappé (59') latched onto a misplaced Centonze pass under pressure. The PSG forward turned and immediately got away a shot from just outside the box that deflected off Boubakar Kouyaté and beat Alexandre Oukidja. Boulaya (80') made a goal-line clearance and Herrera (81') hit the bar before PSG put the seal on the match (89') when Mauro Icardi scored from the spot with a cheeky panenka after he'd been fouled by Dylan Bronn. It was the perfect way for the visiting substitute to follow up on his hat-trick against Angers in the Coupe de France quarter-finals on Wednesday.
THE PLAYER: Kylian Mbappé
Rested for the Coupe de France win, Mbappé was restored to the starting line-up and was inevitably the key figure as PSG moved two points clear of Lille at the top of the table. Mbappé now has 25 Ligue 1 Uber Eats goals for the season and - in helping PSG to their sixth consecutive away win - moved seven goals clear of OL captain Memphis Depay at the head of the scoring chart.
THE STAT: 18
Mbappé has scored 18 goals in his last 14 matches for Paris Saint-Germain in all competitions. City have been warned.
SAINT-ETIENNE 1-2 BREST
Gaëtan Charbonnier's double enabled Brest to come from behind to win 2-1 at Saint-Etienne to move onto 40 points for the season. It brought to an end Brest's five-match winless league run.
The in-form Wahbi Khazri gave ASSE an 11th-minute lead as the Tunisian international took advantage of Brest's defensive errors. Charbonnier (66') equalised with a superb free-kick from 25 metres that beat Etienne Green and the striker followed up his first goal since February with the winner (79') as he nutmegged Harold Makoudi before steering the ball past Green.
