Kylian Mbappé marked his return to action after the World Cup by scoring a last-gasp winner from the penalty spot as Ligue 1 Uber Eats leaders Paris Saint-Germain beat RC Strasbourg Alsace 2-1 on Wednesday despite having Neymar Jr. sent off.
Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 RC Strasbourg Alsace
THE MATCH
Mbappé started just 10 days after scoring a hat-trick for France as they lost the World Cup final on penalties to Argentina in Doha, while Neymar and Marquinhos also lined up having taken a break in the wake of Brazil’s elimination in the quarter-finals. That trio were all involved as PSG capitalised on a good start to open the scoring in the 14th minute. Mbappé was fouled on the left flank by Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, and Neymar’s delivery from the resulting free-kick was headed home by skipper Marquinhos.
Christophe Galtier’s side, missing the rested Lionel Messi, might have been expected to cruise to victory after that. However, the visitors nearly drew level on the half-hour mark when Adrien Thomasson’s low ball in to the near post was met by Kévin Gameiro, whose shot was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
That was a warning of what was to come after the break as Strasbourg did equalise six minutes into the second half. Marco Verratti lost possession on the edge of his own area before Thomasson’s attempted cross was deflected into his own net by Marquinhos.
Neymar red card
Neymar set up Mbappé for a shot that was saved by Matz Sels moments later, but the Brazilian was then sent off, leaving his team to play out the final quarter of the game down to 10 men. Having been booked moments earlier, the world’s most expensive player was cautioned a second time for simulation in the penalty box by referee Clément Turpin, and so saw a red card (63’).
Yet the league leaders, and Mbappé, were not to be denied. With the game in the fourth and final minute of stoppage time at the end of the second half, Mbappé went down in the area under a challenge from Gerzino Nyamsi. The ball fell to Marquinhos who scored and thought he had won the match, but the referee had already blown for the penalty. So it was left to Mbappé – after scoring there times from the spot in the World Cup final – to beat Sels with his latest spot-kick and secure the victory for his side (90+6’).
The win means PSG are now provisionally eight points clear at the top of the table from Lens before they face OGC Nice on Thursday. The capital side then visit Lens on New Year’s Day. Strasbourg remain in the relegation zone and still have just one win all season.
THE PLAYER: Kylian Mbappé
It was proving to be a frustrating night for the 24-year-old, who was denied on several occasions by Strasbourg goalkeeper Matz Sels before he had the last laugh with his last-gasp penalty. It is a 13th league goal of the season for the division’s top scorer. It came on the evening Neymar was sent off while Lionel Messi was absent, rested in the wake of Argentina’s World Cup triumph. It seemed to underline that the main man at the Parc des Princes these days is their number seven.
THE STAT: 37
PSG are unbeaten in 37 home games in all competitions now, a run that stretches back to April 2021.
