PSG hit six past Angers as Neymar bags a brace

On way to Paris Saint-Germain’s crushing 6-1 win over Angers on Friday, Neymar scored twice as the French champions continue to build up momentum in their Ligue 1 season.

Alessandro Florenzi, Julian Draxler, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Kylian Mbappe also penned down their names on the scoresheet at the Parc des Princes for PSG, who claimed their fourth consecutive victory after starting the campaign with two straight defeats.

Thomas Tuchel’s side are on the up as they clinched the second spot on the early table, now only a point behind leaders Rennes who play Reims on Sunday.

“Scoring goals gives us confidence. It is a great victory,” said Tuchel.

Only 1,000 spectators allowed inside the Parc des Princes as authorities clamp down on gatherings amid a new rise in coronavirus cases in the French capital.

However, the few who were there witnessed Florenzi open the scoring with a lovely goal in the seventh minute.

The Italian right-back, who is PSG’s only new signing for this season so far after joining on loan from Roma, controlled the ball in the box before netting with a delightful volley into the far corner.

PSG doubled their lead before half-time as Mbappe cut the ball back for Neymar to score in off the underside of the bar.

Neymar was starting after avoiding punishment following allegations of racist and homophobic abuse in an ill-tempered defeat by Marseille last month.

The French league’s disciplinary committee ruled on Wednesday that it did not have sufficient proof to take action against the Brazilian or Marseille defender Alvaro Gonzalez, who Neymar had accused of calling him a “monkey”.

The world’s most expensive player scored his second and PSG’s third goal on the night just after half-time, with a first-timed finish as the ball broke to him in the box.

The goals were his first two of the new season after a start to the campaign disrupted by a positive Covid-19 test and suspension.

Ismael Traore pulled one back for Angers with a far-post header, but soon Mitchel Bakker crossed for Draxler to make it 4-1 and Gueye added another with a deflected strike.

Mbappe completed the scoring by converting from a Pablo Sarabia pass six minutes from the end, and PSG look to have definitively put their defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich in the Champions League final behind them.

Coach Tuchel will be hoping to see a few more new faces arrive before Monday’s transfer deadline, with a busy schedule lying in store once the Champions League group stage begins later in the month.

Paris will start their European campaign at home to Manchester United on October 20 before facing Istanbul Basaksehir and RB Leipzig, who they beat in last season’s semi-finals.

“It is a very difficult group with Leipzig as the third seed,” said Tuchel.

“We know how strong they are. We will need to be at our best to go through.”