adminPARIS. – Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain thrashed AJ Auxerre 5-0 in their final game before the FIFA World Cup break yesterday.
There was a welcome return for Lionel Messi, who missed the match against Lorient through injury last week, while Carlos Soler and Nordi Mukiele were also back in the fold.
The table-toppers were ahead in no less than 11 minutes after Kylian Mbappe attacked a surging delivery to the far post by Nuno Mendes and poked home.
However, the lead was under threat a few minutes later with Gideon Mensah charging in from a misplaced ball by Mukiele before PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma spared the blushes.
Auxerre posed the reigning champions further problems on the stroke of halftime where Hamza Sakhi spotted space and curled wide from Lassine Sinayoko’s penetrative pass.
The hosts were energised six minutes in the second half and bagged a second goal when a glancing header from Soler off Mendes’ ball bounced in off the far post.
PSG snapped up a third after a fifth minute spell as marauding fullback Achraf Hakimi pounced on a through ball from Soler and finished comfortably on the counter-attack.
That then was the last contribution Soler would have and was removed around the remaining 20 minutes, with Portuguese international Renato Sanches introduced.
PSG should’ve had a fourth from a counter midway in the second half with Messi in acres of space outside the area and curled off the woodwork before he made way for Pablo Sarabia.
The host secured a fourth though with nine minutes to go as Sanches charged on a layoff from Hugo Ekitike, who had replaced Neymar Junior and slotted in off the inside post.
PSG compounded the home side’s woes minutes before time after Ekitike nicked possession and burst through to find the back of the net.
There were more chances that came the way of the host following the closing seconds, but they had to settle for five goals in the end. – KickOff.com
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter