Kylian Mbappé, Neymar and Lionel Messi all featured among the goals as Paris Saint-Germain came back from trailing twice to Troyes to win 4-3 at the Parc des Princes on Saturday and move five points clear again at the top of the Ligue 1 Uber Eats table.
THE MATCH
PSG had equalled their highest-ever UEFA Champions League single-match tally in brushing aside Maccabi Haifa on Tuesday, and with Troyes without a win in four, the Parc des Princes was expecting another celebratory evening. Three points were also required to restore the five-point cushion PSG had prior to Lens' 3-0 win over Toulouse on Friday night, but Mama Baldé's third-minute opener ripped up the script. Wilson Odobert, a PSG youth academy graduate, opened up the hosts with a through ball for Abdu Conté, and though Rony Lopes wasn't able to take advantage of the full-back's cross from the left, he stabbed the ball to Baldé, who volleyed home (3').
A timely block from Nordi Mukiele prevented Lopes, who had lost all 11 previous career meetings with PSG, testing Gianluigi Donnarumma (10') with PSG again cut apart while Mama Baldé headed just wide from the resulting corner (11') as Troyes made a mockery of their record of having tasted defeat on each of their previous 10 visits to the capital.
A Sergio Ramos shot punched clear by Gauthier Gallon (18') was PSG's only threat before Neymar brilliantly threaded a pass through to Carlos Soler, whose first touch took him round the Troyes goalkeeper and his second meant he slotted in his second goal in as many games after opening his PSG account against Haifa (24').
Gallon flung himself full length to keep out a Messi header (41') as PSG sought to forge ahead; instead, they allowed Odobert to pick Baldé out in the penalty area and then gave the former Dijon striker the time to turn and fire in his second goal of the game shortly after the interval (52').
The PSG defending will be questioned, but there is no debating the brilliance of Messi, who drilled a shot beyond Gallon from 25 metres to level (55'). He then collected the ball inside his own half of the centre circle, advanced a stride or two, and then spied the run of Neymar - with the through ball weighted to perfection, the Brazil international was able to take a touch and then fire high beyond Gallon to put the hosts in front for the first time (62').
Mbappé — like Messi — had scored twice on Tuesday, and he eventually took his tally to 11 league goals, moving ahead of Neymar again, after Gallon had brought down Soler in the penalty area (77').
Troyes did not concede defeat though. Substitute Iké Ugbo drew a full-length save from Donnarumma (83') before fellow replacement, Ante Palaversa, headed in from close range (88) to reduce the deficit to one following another shaky moment in the PSG rearguard, but Christophe Galtier's side held on to extend their unbeaten start to the season and their run without defeat to 28 competitive matches.
THE PLAYER: Lionel Messi
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner confirmed once again his sizzling form. He has now racked up 10 assists in just 12 league games — a career best — and his brilliant goal to quickly make it 2-2 was crucial when PSG may have struggled to get back on top. His pass for Neymar's goal was also out of this world, and his understanding with his former Barcelona teammate and Mbappé just gets better and better.
THE STAT: 30
Sergio Ramos has not lost any of the 30 competitve games he has played for PSG, a club record.
