Marseille 0 PSG 2: Super-sub Kylian Mbappe helps PSG equal European record

Paris Saint-Germain made it 11 wins in a row in Ligue 1 thanks to Kylian Mbappe's timely intervention off the bench in Marseille.

Published : Oct 29, 2018 13:19 IST

PSG's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring a goal during the French Ligue 1 match between Paris-Saint-Germain and Marseille on Sunday.
PSG's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring a goal during the French Ligue 1 match between Paris-Saint-Germain and Marseille on Sunday.
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PSG's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring a goal during the French Ligue 1 match between Paris-Saint-Germain and Marseille on Sunday.

Kylian Mbappe scored within four minutes of coming on for Paris Saint-Germain as it claimed a 2-0 win over fierce rival Marseille on Sunday.

The teenager became the first player in Europe's top five leagues to reach 10 goals this season to seal all three points in Le Classique and cement the champion's place at the top of Ligue 1.

Thomas Tuchel's side restored an eight-point gap over second-place Lille after an 11th league win in a row, confirmed by Julian Draxler's injury-time finish.

PSG's surprising 3-5-1-1 set-up did little to unsettle the Marseille defence in the first half, in which the only major chance of note occurred in stoppage time, when Kevin Strootman cleared Angel Di Maria's shot off the line.

It took less than a minute of the second half for Di Maria to force Steve Mandanda into his first save of the match, the keeper parrying a bouncing shot past his left-hand post.

Neymar had been targeted by missiles thrown from the crowd throughout, but he nearly silenced the home fans with a low left-footed drive following a dazzling run into the penalty area.

Opposite number 10 Dimitri Payet had a similarly quiet game, although he tested Alphonse Areola with a free-kick, before Tuchel turned to Mbappe in the 62nd minute to try to ignite a spark in his attack.

It did not take long. PSG won back possession in its half, Di Maria quickly sent Mbappe forward on the break and the attacker held off Boubacar Kamara to drill past Mandanda.

Thomas Meunier was denied a second by Mandanda and Jordan Amavi shaved the outside of the upright, but PSG secured the win with practically the last kick of the game, Draxler sliding in to score after Neymar had scuffed Mbappe's pass across goal.

PSG matches 58-year record

Victory for PSG means it is the first team since Tottenham in 1960 to start the season in one of Europe's top five leagues with 11 consecutive victories.

The result puts the team eight points ahead of Lille, who visit the Parc des Princes on Friday in a match that already looks like it could decide whether the title race becomes in any way complicated.

Marseille missed out on the chance to go fourth and has now only won two of its last six games in all competitions.

Sarr unlucky to be on losing side

Bouna Sarr deserved much better than to lose this game. The right-back was consistently excellent in keeping Neymar, Mbappe and Di Maria quiet and offered a threat going forward, even though Marseille had few options awaiting any crosses.

Choupo-Moting a strange piece of the puzzle

Tuchel's back-three system was a peculiar choice, giving PSG control of the first half but doing little to worry Marseille unduly in defence.

Part of that problem was Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's attempts to plough a lone furrow in attack, which yielded two wayward shots and nine completed passes before he was replaced by Mbappe.

What's next?

Next up for PSG is the visit of Lille to the capital, before a key Champions League clash with Napoli just four days later.

Marseille travels to Montpellier in a week and then turn its attention to its own trip to Italy, where it will face Lazio in the Europa League.

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