Ligue 1: Mbappe runs the show in PSGs 5-1 win over Lorient as Messi, Neymar also score

Kylian Mbappe scored twice and assisted three times on Sunday as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Lorient 5-1 to preserve its 12-point lead over Marseille and edge closer to a record 10th French league title.

There are eight rounds remaining.

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Mbappe ignited the final third with a dribbling run and low shot that goalkeeper Matthieu Dreyer palmed away in the fourth minute. Soon later, the France striker fed Neymar, who scored the game’s first goal.

Mbappe doubled the lead in the 28th minute, faking a curler into the far corner before hammering into the near corner.

PSG fans blasted their team’s break in concentration when Lorient forward Terem Moffi trimmed the advantage in the 56th minute by pouncing on a clumsy back pass from Achraf Hakimi to punch the ball past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

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Mbappe ended Lorient’s comeback aspirations by increasing his league record to 17 goals in the 67th minute, gliding past Julien Laporte and burying the ball into the bottom corner.

Six minutes later, Mbappe squared the ball back for Lionel Messi, who scored 4-1 with a drive under the crossbar. Mbappe set up Neymar for the game-winning goal in the 90th minute, giving him a league-high 13th assist.

“We must bring back that 10th league title for the supporters, for the club. It’s important,” Mbappe said. “We have an opportunity to make history.”

PSG has relied heavily on Mbappe’s brilliance this season. However, his contract runs out this summer and Mbappe hasn’t committed to any club yet.

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“I haven’t made any decision yet,” Mbappe said. “I’m still thinking because there are new factors (…) I don’t want to get it wrong. I want to make the right choice.”

Marseille consolidated second place with a 4-2 victory over relegation-threatened Saint-Etienne in a game packed with gaffes.

Denis Bouanga, a Gabon striker, gave Saint-Etienne the lead in the ninth minute by blasting past goalkeeper Pau Lopez, who made an embarrassing handling error.

Saint-Etienne, on the other hand, self-destructed by giving up two penalties and scoring an own goal.

Marseille’s third consecutive league victory extended their lead over third-placed Rennes, while Saint-Etienne remained in the relegation zone, one point from safety.

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The top two clubs advance to the Champions League, while the third-placed club must compete in qualifying.

Strasbourg emerged as a surprise contender in the race for European spots after edging Lens 1-0 to climb up to fourth place.

Strasbourg stretched its unbeaten run to eight games to go level on points with Nice and just two points behind Rennes. The team’s best finish in the past 20 seasons was 10th in 2020.

“The ambition is to do as best as we can until the end of the season,” Strasbourg coach Julien Stephan said. “We’ve never put pressure on ourselves. I don’t see why we should put more pressure on ourselves today. We just want to have fun.”

Monaco edged lowly Metz 2-1 and France international Wissam Ben Yedder extended his league-leading goal tally to 18.

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In his French league debut, Brazilian winger Tete kept Lyon’s slim European hopes alive in a 3-2 victory over Angers. Lyon blew the lead twice despite two goals from striker Moussa Dembele.

Nantes handed Clermont a fourth straight loss, 3-2, Brest won at mid-table Montpellier 2-1, and Troyes beat Reims 1-0 in injury time to move away from the relegation zone.