Lionel Messi’s first Ligue 1 goal helped Paris Saint-Germain beat Nantes 3-1 at the Parc des Princes despite Keylor Navas getting sent off in the second half.
The hosts scored in just the second minute as Leandro Paredes’ well-hit effort from range took a wicked deflection of
f Kylian Mbappe in the box and wrong-footed Alban Lafont.
Navas was shown a straight red card in the 65th minute for jumping into Ludovic Blas outside the box as the Nantes midfielder bore down on goal, with Sergio Rico coming on between the sticks and failing to deal with Randal Kolo Muani’s header, allowing the forward to backheel an effort at goal that he could not keep from crossing the line.
However, Dennis Appiah deflected Messi’s throughball over the goalkeeper and in before the Argentine grabbed his first league goal for PSG with a terrific long-range strike.
PSG took the lead inside the first two minutes, with Paredes taking an effort on from long range that struck Mbappe in the box and deflected past a stranded Lafont in the Nantes goal.
Nantes’ hopes of snatching an unlikely result were boosted when Navas raced off his line to deal with a ball in behind in the second half, but misjudged the bounce and was sent off after catching Blas with a trailing leg.
Substitute goalkeeper Rico made a mess of saving Kolo Muani’s powerful headed effort and could only get to the follow-up after it had crossed the line in the 76th minute, but Nantes full-back Appiah’s comedy own goal five minutes later put PSG back in front.
Messi then stole the headlines in the 87th minute, cutting onto his left foot outside the box and unleashing a superb strike into the bottom-left corner to seal the points for PSG.
What does it mean? PSG go 13 points clear
Runaway leaders PSG started the day 10 points clear at the top of the table and their battling victory sees them extend that advantage to 13, albeit having played a game extra.
Navas’ red card could perhaps open the door for Gianluigi Donnarumma to stake his claim as the club’s number one goalkeeper, with the Italian having voiced his frustration at not playing more regularly.
Messi ends Ligue 1 drought
Messi’s goal is his first in Ligue 1, having made five appearances in the competition for PSG without scoring prior to this game, taking 19 shots that did not go in.
The late strike means the 34-year-old also becomes the 17th Argentine to score for PSG in Ligue 1.
Speedy Mbappe scores early
Mbappe’s deflected goal to open the scoring came after just one minute and 41 seconds, PSG’s fastest goal in Ligue 1 since May 14, 2017 (one minute and 21 seconds against Saint-Etienne).
It is also the earliest Mbappe has ever found the net in a game in his professional career.
Key Opta Facts:
– This is the fifth time in their history that PSG have won at least 12 of their first 14 Ligue 1 games in a single season (D1 L1). On each occasion, the club won the title at the end of the season.
– Paris have won their last 11 games at home in all competitions, their best run since August 2017-February 2018 (19).
– Lionel Messi and Neymar exchanged 39 passes during this game, the highest tally between two strikers in a single Ligue 1 game since Opta collected this data (2006/07).
– Keylor Navas collected only his second red card in the top-five European (in 210 games), after the one collected in November 2013 (with Levante against Villarreal). He is the first PSG goalkeeper to be sent off in a Ligue 1 game since Ronan Le Crom in May 2013.
What’s next?
PSG travel to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday, while Nantes’ next outing is a Ligue 1 trip to Lille next Saturday.
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