Kylian Mbappe scored his league-leading 20th goal of the season as Paris Saint-Germain beat Montpellier 5-1 on Wednesday to move 15 points clear, having played one game less than second-place Lille.
Mbappe has led PSG's attack with ease in the absence of Edinson Cavani and Neymar. The 20-year-old France forward has netted in three straight games since both forwards were ruled out of PSG's trip to face Manchester United in the last 16 of the Champions League last week.
This goal was deflected, however, as he completed the scoring in the 79th minute with a shot that looped off 41-year-old Brazilian defender Vitorino Hilton and over the goalkeeper. A minute earlier, Hilton deflected another Mbappe shot but this one was given as an own goal.
PSG's Kylian Mbappe kicks the ball ahead of Montpellier's Nicolas Cozza during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Montpellier at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
Montpellier entered the game with the French league's second-best defense, but fell apart after winger Angel Di Maria's superb curling free kick put PSG 2-1 up on the stroke of halftime.
Left back Layvin Kurzawa put PSG in front when he headed in a cross from right back Dani Alves in the 13th minute. Montpellier midfielder Florent Mollet equalized in the 31st with a free kick from the right angle of the penalty area which looked to have been saved by goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. But the referee awarded it after goal-line technology ruled the ball crossed the line before Buffon scooped it away.
After the break, PSG scored three goals in six minutes with the first coming from midfielder Christopher Nkunku's deflected header.
PSG's Angel Di Maria celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Montpellier at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
Montpellier remains in sixth place.
In Wednesday's other match, 13th-place Bordeaux drew 0-0 at home to last-place Guingamp.
Striker Josh Maja made his second start for Bordeaux since joining from third-tier English side Sunderland. The 20-year-old Englishman showed neat touches and took up good positions, but was substituted for the more physical and less technical Andreas Cornelius at halftime.
PSG's Angel Di Maria celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Montpellier at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
After heading against the crossbar from close range right at the end of Guingamp's 2-1 loss at Lyon last Friday, striker Nolan Roux miscued again when he scooped the ball over an open goal from three meters out in the closing stages.
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PSG's Kylian Mbappe reacts during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Montpellier at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
Paris Saint-Germain all but sealed a record-equaling 10th French league crown with five rounds to spare by winning 3-0 at Angers on Wednesday.
PSG is 15 points ahead of second-place Marseille and has a vastly superior goal difference, but still still needs one point at home against Lens on Saturday to clinch the title.
PSG is set to move level with Saint-Etienne, which won its 10th title in 1981 and is fighting to stay up this season. PSG only had two titles to Marseille's nine when cash-rich Qatari owners QSI bought PSG in 2011.
PSG's Kylian Mbappe, left, challenges with Angers' Angelo Fulgini, right, and Angers' Souleyman Doumbia during the League One soccer match between Angers and Paris Saint Germain, at the Raymond-Kopa stadium in Angers, western France, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (AP PhotoJeremias Gonzalez)
Kylian Mbappe fired PSG ahead from the edge of the penalty area in the 28th minute after swapping passes with right back Achraf Hakimi.
Former Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos headed in Angel Di Maria’s cross following a short corner just before the break, and captain Marquinhos headed in another fine pass from Di Maria in the 77th.
It looked like PSG would be able to start celebrating the title as Nantes led twice at Marseille. But Marseille rallied with Dimitri Payet netting two penalties and midfielder Amine Harit clinching a 3-2 win when he scored against his former club in the 75th.
PSG's Sergio Ramos, right, celebrates his goal with PSG's Achraf Hakimi during the League One soccer match between Angers and Paris Saint Germain, at the Raymond-Kopa stadium in Angers, western France, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (AP PhotoJeremias Gonzalez)
Marseille strengthened its bid to finish second in the automatic Champions League spot as it now holds a six-point lead over Rennes and Strasbourg. Alsace-side Strasbourg beat Rennes 2-1 at home.
Mbappe’s league-leading 22 goals puts him two ahead of Rennes forward Martin Terrier, who equalized for Rennes before imposing striker Ludovic Ajorque grabbed Strasbourg’s winner as coach Julien Stephan defeated the club where he made his name.
Rennes stays third in the Champions League playoff place on goal difference ahead of fourth-place Strasbourg and fifth-place Monaco, which beat Nice 1-0 at home to leapfrog its local rival.
PSG's Marquinhos waves to supporters prior to the League One soccer match between Angers and Paris Saint Germain, at the Raymond-Kopa stadium in Angers, western France, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (AP PhotoJeremias Gonzalez)
At Stade Velodrome, Marseille fell behind midway through the first half when Brazilian midfielder Andrei Girotto was set up by midfielder Wylan Cyprien.
Payet equalized in the 39th but Marcus Coco restored the lead two minutes later for French Cup finalist Nantes.
Payet’s second penalty in the 55th made it 12 league goals for the former France playmaker, seven of them from the spot.
CHASE FOR EUROPE
Monaco is right back in contention for third place, with Russia midfielder Aleksandr Golovin netting in first-half injury time following a cross from Brazilian Vanderson.
Match jerseys were to be auctioned to raise money for Ukrainians fleeing their country following Russia’s invasion.
Monaco is two points ahead of Nice and three ahead of seventh-place Lens, which beat Montpellier 2-0 at home to stay in the hunt for European places.
Eighth-place Lyon lost 2-1 at Brest and defending champion Lille was beaten 2-1 at Reims, which scored an injury-time winner through captain Yunis Abdelhamid.
Lille sits in ninth, one point behind seven-time champion Lyon.
RELEGATION SCRAP
Guinea striker Mohamed Bayo pounced in the 88th minute as Clermont won 1-0 at fellow struggler Troyes to move up to 17th place.
Saint-Etienne dropped to 18th — the relegation-promotion playoff position — after drawing 2-2 at 19th-place Bordeaux.
Six-time champion Bordeaux, which has conceded a league-high 79 goals, went 2-0 up inside 22 minutes through 19-year-old forward Sekou Mara and midfielder Jean Onana.
Goals from Denis Bouanga and fellow forward Arnaud Nordin earned Saint-Etienne a draw that kept it four points clear of Bordeaux.
Rock-bottom Metz edged closer to relegation after losing 1-0 at Lorient, which improved to 15th thanks to Dango Outarra’s winner deep into injury time.
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