Mbappe Scores Brace As PSG Move 16 Points Clear

Paris: Runaway league leader Paris Saint-Germain again relied on Kylian Mbappe as it rallied from a goal down to beat Saint-Etienne 3-1 at home on Saturday.

Mbappe has rescued PSG with late goals this season and this time he scored either side of halftime, before assisting on the third goal for midfielder Danilo in the 52nd minute at Parc des Princes.

Record seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi set up Mbappe twice as the Frenchman tied Monaco's Wissam Ben Yedder on a league-leading 14 goals. Messi joined Mbappe as top of the passers with 10 assists.

The victory moved PSG 16 points clear of second-place Nice but it was the 13th time in 26 matches that PSG has fallen behind in a game, raising further questions about its vulnerability against quick passing and transition play.

Both sets of players stood behind a banner reading "Peace for all" before kickoff amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

After conceding two early goals in last Saturday's 3-1 win defeat at Nantes, PSG trailed in the 16th minute after a bad mistake from Danilo.

He decided not to clear the ball and tried to turn into a better position, only for striker Denis Bouanga to rob the ball from him and drill a low shot under the body of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Messi had a free kick saved by Paul Bernardoni, but the goalkeeper made a handling error on Mbappe's equalizer in the 42nd.

Messi played Mbappe in behind the defense with a typically astute pass, but he was still wide right and Bernardoni got a hand to his angled shot as it squirmed in.

Messi's fine run and pass set Mbappe up two minutes after the break and Mbappe turned provider as Danilo headed home.

Saint-Etienne remained in 16th place ahead of Sunday's games.

Earlier on Saturday, goalkeeper Walter Benitez made several saves to earn 10-man Nice a 0-0 draw at close rival Strasbourg and second place.

Nice is level on points with Marseille in the race for second spot and automatic Champions League entry, but is ahead on goal difference. Marseille can move three points clear of Nice and stay 13 points behind PSG with a win at struggling Troyes on Sunday.

Nice had Brazilian central defender Dante sent off in the 48th minute, after receiving a second yellow card for fouling former France striker Kevin Gameiro.

Benitez kept out a firm shot from midfielder Sanjin Prcic in the 29th as Strasbourg edged a tight first half, then made key stops in the last 20 minutes from Gameiro, striker Ludovic Ajorque and twice from substitute Habib Diallo.

Strasbourg would have moved into third place on goal difference with a win. But instead the Alsace side dropped behind Rennes and into fifth spot on goal difference.

Third gets a place in the Champions League playoffs while fourth earns automatic entry into the Europa League.

Nice hosts PSG next Saturday.

Also read: Benzema Goal Moves Real Madrid Nine Points Clear

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