Paris Saint-Germain pulled to the top of Ligue 1 Uber Eats with a 3-0 win over Stade de Reims, with Kylian Mbappé bagging all three of their goals at the Stade Auguste-Delaune.
Stade de Reims 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain
THE MATCH
Paris took the lead with the first real attack of the game, Mbappé volleying home an early Goal of the Season contender at the back post following Ousmane Dembélé's searching cross (3'). Reims were a matter of inches away from restoring parity minutes later when Junya Ito fired beyond Gigio Donnarumma, but the flag went up for offside against the Japanese (7'). Donnarumma got lucky again on the half hour when his poor pass for Fabian Ruiz ended up at Azor Matusiwa's feet, but the Dutchman fired off target with the goal at his mercy (30'). The Italy No.1 made some amends at the end of the half when he stopped Amir Richardson at point-blank range (39'), and when Willy Delajod's whistle for half-time went, it was Paris rather than the hosts who were the more relieved to hear it.
Mbappé makes it safe
Donnarumma had to be on his toes once again to keep out a Joseph Okumu header from a corner early in the second half (55') and minutes later Mbappé settled the visitors' nerves, bagging his second of the game when he tapped home from Carlos Soler's low cross (59'). Mbappé went looking for his hat-trick soon after having been played through, once again, by Dembélé, but this time Donnarumma's opposite number Yehvann Diouf pulled off a save that would have done him proud (67'). The man himself then stopped a Marshall Munetsi header on his line (72'). Mbappé's third soon followed, though, the game's best player left with another straightforward finish, this time from a Bradley Barcola cutback (82') and it ended 3-0 to Luis Enrique's men.
THE PLAYER: Kylian Mbappé
Donnarumma deserves a special mention here for keeping six shots on his goal at bay, but Mbappé was ultimately the difference between a share of the points and taking all three back with them to the capital. Mbappé didn't even seem to get out of third gear, yet comfortably pulled onto league-leading 13 goals for the season.
THE STAT: 5
PSG have scored at least three goals in each of their last five Ligue 1 Uber Eats matches. They have been resurgent since September's goalless draw with Clermont Foot 63, and are beginning to play like the champions they are.
