Mbappe fires PSG to victory over Strasbourg
Kylian Mbappe scored one and created another as Paris St Germain brushed aside Strasbourg 3-0 at Parc des Princes.
The France forward got his side up and running with an early penalty before his trickery set up the second goal for Carlos Soler just after the half-hour mark.
Another Spaniard, Fabian Ruiz, added a third late on for Luis Enrique’s side, which made it back-to-back wins in the league for only the second time this season.
Mbappe went into the game on the back of three goals in two games for France in victories over Netherlands and Scotland during the recent international break, but without a Ligue 1 goal since mid-September, a brace in a home defeat to Nice.
That mini drought was ended after 10 minutes.
Gerzino Nyamsi made a mess of attempting to clear a low cross, allowing Goncalo Ramos a sniff, and in attempting to make amends the Strasbourg defender only succeeded in bringing down his opponent.
Mbappe made no mistake with the resulting penalty, firing right-footed into the bottom left corner.
Despite that run of three league games without a goal, it was his eighth in eight this season.
The visitors thought they were level just two minutes later when Lebo Mothiba headed home at the back post, but the effort was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.
Instead PSG went into half-time with a two-goal lead.
Mbappe received the ball, fooled Lucas Perrin with a dummy and sent in a low cross which Soler turned into the roof of the net at the near post.
Mbappe went close again himself early in the second half, bringing a save out of goalkeeper Matz Sels with a shot from inside the area before sparking a some concern when he went down holding his left ankle after a foul by Nyamsi.
However, he was able to carry on after treatment.
Strasbourg nearly gave itself a lifeline in the 75th minute when Nyamsi met Dilane Bakwa’s cross, but his header was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Any other faint hopes were extinguished for good as PSG added a third in the 77th minute.
Ruiz won possession in the Strasbourg half and sent the ball out to Ousmane Dembele, who found Soler. He passed to Ruiz, who beat an opponent before firing home to wrap up the points.
