Achraf Hakimi scored twice, including a 95th-minute matchwinner, as Paris Saint-Germain maintained their 100 per cent start to the Ligue 1 Uber Eats season by making it seven wins from seven at Metz on Wednesday. Nice and Lens were both beaten and Marseille also lost ground, but Lyon won.
THE MATCH
Mauricio Pochettino's men were looking to become only the second PSG side — and the fourth French top-flight outfit ever — to record seven straight wins from the start of a Ligue 1 Uber Eats season.
Without the injured Lionel Messi and with Pochettino making six changes compared to the starting XI that defeated Lyon on Sunday, the visitors could have been knocked off stride, but weren't early on against a Metz side that started the night bottom of the table.
Neymar began the move that led to the opening goal by feeding Mauro Icardi on the left-hand side of the penalty area. The Argentine forward's chipped ball into the danger zone was half-cleared by Matthieu Udol, but it dropped kindly for Hakimi, whose shot crossed the line despite desperate Metz attempts to keep it out (5').
Kylian Mbappé would have added a second — and his eighth against Metz in five top-flight games — but for Alexandre Oukidja's smart save (10') as the league leaders threatened to end the game as a contest very early.
Metz had conceded 13 goals in six matches, their worst tally since 1984/85, and were hanging on as Mbappé linked up with Icardi before firing wide (12') before they finally got into the game: Ibrahima Niane acrobatically sending their first shooting opportunity wide (23').
The hosts had lost their previous 10 league meetings with PSG, but battled on and dragged themselves level shortly before the half-time interval. Lamine Gueye's corner was delivered towards the six-yard box, and Kiki Kouyaté bustled his way past both Icardi and Danilo Pereira to head powerfully beyond Keylor Navas (39').
Navas — in for Gianluigi Donnarumma — then pawed away a Gueye lob as Metz grew in confidence (45'); had Niane connected more cleanly with a Gueye cross, PSG's Costa Rica international goalkeeper might have been able to do nothing more than pick the ball out of his net (54').
Neymar riposted for PSG: Oukidja looked beaten as the Brazilian superstar drilled a shot towards the near post, it ruffled the side-netting (56') with the visitors still struggling to find top gear, and even a rash of substitutions failed to shake them out of their torpor. Mbappé nearly cheekily caught out Oukidja and Dylan Bronn and coach Frédéric Antonetti were both dismissed in the closing minutes as Metz sought to run down the clock, Hakimi though still had something left to add.
The Morocco international was alert when Neymar picked up the ball after a poor clearing header, and when it was played into his path, Hakimi switched the ball to his left before bending a delicious shot around Oukidja and into the far corner with virtually the last kick of the game (90+5').
THE PLAYER: Achraf Hakimi
The PSG full-back-turned-matchwinner already has three league goals this season, quite a return for anyone, let alone a defender. His terrifying pace and ability is just as precious going backwards as it is forwards.
THE STAT: 12
Paris Saint-Germain are unbeaten in their last 12 away games in Ligue 1, winning 10 of them. Only Manchester United (29) and Real Madrid (18) are on longer runs in one of Europe's top five leagues.
Marseille lost ground as they were held to a goalless draw at Angers. Jorge Sampaoli's side still hung on to second place though as Lens, who started the round a point behind OM in third, were beaten at home by Strasbourg — Ludovic Ajorque scoring his third of the league season (67') after the hosts' Kevin Danso had been dismissed (50').
New signings Xherdan Shaqiri and Emerson got their first league goals for Lyon while Lucas Paqeuta was also on target to give their side a 3-1 home win over Troyes that moves Peter Bosz's men to within touching distance of second place.
They moved ahead of Nice, who were beaten by Lorient: Thomas Monconduit scored the only goal of the game in Brittany (23'), while Amine Gouiri missed a second penalty in as many games and Andy Delort struck the crossbar with Nice unable to take advantage of a red card for Lorient defender Moritz Jenz (69').
