Kylian Mbappe scored one goal and set up another as a much-changed Paris Saint-Germain beat Patrick Vieira’s Strasbourg 3-0 in Ligue 1 on Saturday. Mbappé opened the scoring with a penalty in the tenth minute to ensure Carlos Soler made it 2-0 just after the half hour in a wet and windy Parc des Princes. The reigning champions were on their way to a routine victory and added a third in the 77th minute thanks to Fabian Ruiz.
It was the second straight win for PSG following their 4-1 defeat away to Newcastle United in the Champions League earlier this month, and the result took them provisionally to the top of Ligue 1 after nine games. Qatar is one point ahead of Monaco and two points ahead of Nice, who face Marseille later on Saturday.
“The logical concern with these matches right after an international break is that it is clearly not easy for the players to change their mentality, but the team played well and managed the match very well,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique.
He rested several regular starters, with this match also taking place just before an important Champions League meeting with AC Milan. Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembele were among those left out at kick-off, while Soler and Ruiz came in along with Danilo Pereira, Bradley Barcola and Lee Kang-in.
South Korea international Lee made his first appearance for PSG in more than a month, having helped his country win football gold at the Asian Games in the meantime.
“In general, all those players who have been less involved so far this season did well. They had an opportunity today and they made the most of it,” said Luis Enrique.
Same approach against Milan?
There was no rest, however, despite starting both of France’s recent matches and scoring in wins over the Netherlands and Scotland.
He opened the scoring from the penalty spot in front of the empty Auteuil section of PSG’s stadium, which was closed for this encounter by the French league as punishment after homophobic chants during a win over Marseille last month.
The penalty was awarded for a foul on Goncalo Ramos after a good partnership between Mbappé and Barcola, and it already seemed a long way back for Strasbourg.
Vieira’s young team, made up of five outfield starters aged 22 or younger, briefly thought they had equalized moments later when South African striker Lebo Mothiba headed in, but the goal was disallowed for offside after a VAR check.
Instead, PSG doubled the lead in the 31st minute after a thrilling play from Mbappe, who crossed to beat his marker before cutting the ball back from the byline for Soler to penetrate. It was Soler who scored the third goal. late for his compatriot Ruiz, who collected the ball in the penalty area and jumped clear of Strasbourg’s Gerzino Nyamsi before finishing.
There had been a brief scare for PSG recently when Mbappe went down and required treatment after Nyamsi appeared to step on his left foot, but the France captain managed to carry on.
After fielding a team full of attacking players here, just as he did in the defeat to Newcastle, Luis Enrique must decide whether to play in the same way against Milan.
“Every match is different,” he emphasized, “but my goal is to have eleven players attacking and eleven defending.”
This was a third straight defeat for Strasbourg, with the club, recently bought by Chelsea’s owners BlueCo, struggling for goals and having now won just once in six games.
“My young players have to learn and learn very quickly,” Vieira said. “We participated, but we made too many mistakes to have a chance to get anything out of the match.”
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