Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Angers SCO

THE MATCH:

Messi was back but Kylian Mbappé was rested with Hugo Ekitiké getting the nod up front in his stead, and the youngster wasted little time in getting his name on the scoresheet, steering Nordi Mukiele's low cross home for 1-0 with his third goal in as many games (5'). PSG, playing a 3-4-3, dominated possession, but they had a scare soon after when Gigio Donnarumma raced off his line and missed a speculative ball forward, but Juan Bernat was there to mop up the Italy No.1's mess (15'). Paris nearly pulled two clear midway through the half when Messi found Sergio Ramos with a free-kick, but the former Real Madrid captain's header was well saved by Paul Bernardoni (23'). Messi then forced a brilliant stop from Bernardoni after being slipped through by Fabian Ruiz (32') before blasting a free-kick into Angers' wall (37') and Eric Wattellier's whistle for half-time with Paris protecting just a single-goal advantage.

Messi makes sure

Abdallah Sima had what looked like Angers' best chance soon after the restart when he latched onto Nabil Bentaleb's through-ball and volleyed wide, but the flag went up against the Brighton-owned striker anyway (49'). Ramos then gave the ball away to Bentaleb, but Marquinhos got his fellow defender out of trouble with a block (54'). Ekitiké should have made it two at the other end inside the hour, but he miscontrolled Juan Bernat's cut-back before sending a tame shot into Bernardoni's gloves (58'). Sima then fired a shot over the bar in an end-to-end period (61'). Messi then made the game safe after a smart one-two-three with Ekitiké and Mukiele, finishing into Bernardoni's bottom corner for 2-0 (73'). Messi though he had added an assist when he flicked the ball through for Neymar Jr. to volley home, but it was ruled out for offside (84'). Bernardoni kept Mukiele out with a brilliant stop at the death (90'), and it ended 2-0.

THE PLAYER: Lionel Messi

Messi orchestrated PSG's play throughout, and pre-assisted Mukiele's pass for Ekitiké's opener before finding the target himself in the second half. The Argentine - who is available on a Bosman free transfer at the end of the season as things stand - can't sign a contract extension soon enough as far as the Parisian faithful are concerned.

THE STAT: 15

PSG have now won each of their last 15 matches against Angers in all competitions. The last time les Scoïstes got so much as a point from this fixture was back in December 2015, when they held Paris to a goalless draw at the Stade Raymond Kopa. Only Pierrick Capelle (Angers) and Marquinhos survive from that meeting's matchday squad and Wednesday's.

Photo credit: Paris Saint-Germain

OGC Nice 6-1 Montpellier Hérault SC

Elsewhere, OGC Nice got the post-Lucien Favre era off to an electric start, thrashing Montpellier Hérault SC 6-1 at the Allianz Riviera.

Khéphren Thuram, Nicolas Pépé and Ross Barkley were the primary architects of Nice's success, having a hand in two goals each as les Aiglons ran rampant.

Téji Savanier pulled one back with a fine free-kick but by then the damage was done.

RC Strasbourg Alsace 2-2 RC Lens

PSG's nearest challengers RC Lens dropped points on the road, meanwhile, drawing 2-2 with RC Strasbourg Alsace at their Stade de la Meinau.

Sanjin Prcic and Kévin Gameiro scored for the hosts to cancel out Alexis Claude-Maurice's opener, but Loïs Openda had the final say with his team-high ninth goal of the campaign.

ESTAC Troyes 0-2 Olympique de Marseille

Olympique de Marseille pulled to within two points of Lens with a 2-0 win at ESTAC Troyes.

Chancel Mbemba got OM on the way, heading home Mattéo Guendouzi's flick on 10 minutes in, before Jordan Veretout completed the scoring from close range early in the second half.

FC Lorient 2-2 AS Monaco

AS Monaco lost ground in the race for Europe, meanwhile, although they dug deep to rescue a 2-2 draw at FC Lorient.

Breel Embolo opened the scoring for the visitors, but Lorient returned fire though Dango Ouattara and Terem Moffi. Their goals looked to have secured all three points for the hosts, but Wissam Ben Yedder scored an equaliser three minutes into injury time.