PSG beat Marseille and maintain their unbeaten record

Please share this story:

Neymar scored the game's only goal as Paris Saint-Germain maintained their unbeaten record this season and took a three-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 by beating bitter rivals Marseille 1-0 Sunday.

The Brazilian converted an assist from Kylian Mbappe in first-half stoppage time to decide a hard-fought encounter with chances at both ends and a red card for Marseille defender Samuel Gigot.

He was sent off in the 72nd minute for mowing down Neymar, whose theatrical reaction may have helped convince the referee to show a red card instead of a yellow.

It's a welcome return to victory for PSG after three straight draws - including two against Benfica in the Champions League - and a week overshadowed by fresh doubts over Mbappe's future at the club.

PSG are three points ahead of Lorient's surprise forfeit, which drew 0-0 on Saturday with Reims.

Lens are five points behind the leaders in third, with Marseille another point behind now in fourth after their second straight league defeat.

Mbappe has lined up for the Parisians despite reports this week that he wants to leave the Qatari club as soon as possible.

The French superstar has yet to speak publicly to confirm or deny the reports that surfaced in Spain ahead of Tuesday's game against Benfica and were later also reported by various French media outlets.

Lionel Messi returned for Christophe Galtier's side after missing the last two games with a minor injury, and the Argentine was desperately unlucky not to find the net from a free-kick in first half.

After being fouled just outside the box, his dead ball strike from just over 20 yards hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced off the line.

Before that, Mbappe was denied twice by fine saves from Marseille goalkeeper Pau Lopez, while PSG lost Danilo Pereira to injury early on.

The Portuguese midfielder has been a central defender with injured Presnel Kimpembe, while Sergio Ramos has been suspended here.

PSG hope Pereira's injury isn't serious, just like the player with the World Cup just over a month away.

Marseille were also a threat when he came forward, but the home side took the lead two minutes into added time at the end of the half.

Marco Verratti regained possession in the Marseille half before Mbappe set up Neymar to net a first low shot into the corner for his ninth league goal of the campaign.

Marseille, who beat Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League in midweek, failed to find an equalizer in the second half and were handicapped by the loss of Gigot for their slot on Neymar.

– Blanc loses his Lyon debut –

Earlier, Lyon's alarming crisis continued as they lost 3-2 to Rennes in their first match since the appointment of former PSG boss Laurent Blanc as their new coach.

Blanc took over from Peter Bosz who was sacked last week to return to French football more than six years after leaving Paris, where he won three Ligue 1 titles in three seasons.

His only coaching job in the meantime has come at Al Rayyan in Qatar, a club he left in February after just over a year in charge.

He is now in charge of reviving the fortunes of the seven-time former champions of France, but a double from Martin Terrier and a goal from Amine Gouiri gave Rennes the victory which places them fifth.

Alexandre Lacazette scored twice for Lyon who are now 10th after seeing their winless streak extended to six games.

“I enjoyed everything about my day. Everything except the result,” Blanc said.

Monaco are sixth after a 1-1 draw with Clermont in which they were hampered by the early dismissal of Mali midfielder Mohamed Camara.

Breel Embolo put the Principality side ahead, to score after their penalty was saved, but Komnen Andric equalized for Clermont.

AFP

Please share this story: