Kylian Mbappé had a goal and an assist as Paris Saint-Germain stretched their lead at the top of Ligue 1 Uber Eats to nine points with a 3-1 victory over closest pursuers RC Lens.
Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 RC Lens
THE MATCH
The pressure was on PSG having lost three of their last five games in all competitions - even if their most recent result was a 2-0 win at OGC Nice last Saturday - and they set about settling some nerves early on with Mbappé storming down the left and cutting back for Lionel Messi, whose shot hit Argentine compatriot Facundo Medina (13'). Lens had given a fair account of themselves until Salis Abdul Samed was sent off after studding Achraf Hakimi (19'), but their game was an exercise in damage minimalisation from that point. Nuno Mendes did his best Messi impression soon after, slaloming through a number of markers before dragging a left-footed effort narrowly wide (27'), and PSG then took the lead with Mbappé scoring his league-high 20th goal of the season on the turn (31'). Vitinha then got his name on the scoresheet with a long-range drive (37') before Messi and Mbappé - the only two footballers in TIME's 10 most influential people list - combined beautifully before Messi finished low into the far corner (40').
Lens battle bravely
Given they were short-handed, Lens did admirably well with Loïs Openda drawing a save from Gigio Donnarumma (56') soon after the restart. The visitors then then reduced the arrears from the penalty spot, Przemyslaw Frankowski sending Donnarumma the wrong way after Fabian Ruiz had handballed in the box (60'). Openda had another chance on the counter soon after, forcing Donnarumma into a save from a tight angle (65'). Fabian tried to make some amends for the penalty soon after but failed to get any purchase on a shot from the edge of the box (71'). Mbappé then tried to find Brice Samba's far corner but underhit his effort (74'). Lens kept their heads up and Frankowski might have further reduced the arrears with a thumping drive, but Donnarumma tipped it over the bar (75'). Hakimi fired a shot straight at Samba when he should have cut back for Mbappé (76') and it ended 3-1.
THE PLAYER: Kylian Mbappé
Mbappé is such a devastating player that he barely seemed to move out of third gear on Saturday yet still had a hand in two of PSG's three goals. The recently named France captain now has 20 goals for the campaign, putting him one clear of LOSC's Jonathan David at the top of the Ligue 1 Uber Eats scoring charts.
THE STAT: 69
Abdul Samed might have felt hard done by to get sent off in the first half, but no player across Ligue 1 Uber Eats has had as many as the Ghanaian's 69 fouls called against them this season.
