Paris Saint-Germain 4-2 Nantes: Mbappe breaks record as leaders go 11 points clear

Peter Thompson
Stats Perform
Lionel Messi celebrates scoring for a fifth Ligue 1 game in a row
Lionel Messi celebrates scoring for a fifth Ligue 1 game in a row

Kylian Mbappe became Paris Saint-Germain's outright record goalscorer to seal a 4-2 win over Nantes and put the champions 11 points clear at the top of Ligue 1.

Lionel Messi put PSG in front with his 18th goal of the season and they looked set for a comfortable evening when a Jaouen Hadjam own goal doubled their advantage only 17 minutes in.

Nantes had other ideas, Ludovic Blas giving them a lifeline by catching Gianluigi Donnarumma out at his near post and Ignatius Ganago heading them level in an action-packed first half at Parc des Princes on Saturday.

Danilo Pereira restored PSG's lead with a second-half header and Mbappe made history with his 201st goal for the club in the closing stages, surpassing Edinson Cavani's tally.

Messi was involved in a move that he finished off with his left foot from eight yards out to open the scoring in the 12th minute after Nuno Mendes' cross took a deflection and dropped into his path.

Dominant PSG had a second goal five minutes later, when a shot from Mendes was saved by the left boot of Alban Lafnt, but the unfortunate Hadjam turned the ball into his own net trying to deny Nordi Mukiele a tap-in.

Nantes looked to be in danger of suffering a hammering but Blas halved the deficit from out of the blue just after the hour-mark, beating Donnarumma at his near post from wide on the left when the PSG goalkeeper was expecting a cross.

PSG were caught out again seven minutes later, Ganago meeting Florent Mollet's corner with a near-post header that looped into the net in a breathless first half.

The champions were back in front just before the hour-mark, though, with Danilo rising to meet Mbappe's pinpoint cross with a towering downward header.

Mbappe was denied a chance to break the record when the VAR ruled Hadjam had upended Mukiele just outside the box after referee Jeremy Stinat pointed to the spot.

But the lethal forward's big moment came two minutes into stoppage time, when he spun sharply in the box and rifled home in typically clinical fashion.

What does it mean? PSG stretch lead ahead of huge Bayern battle

At the age of 24, Mbappe has wasted no time in making history for the Parisian giants.

PSG made hard work of seeing off Nantes, Donnarumma gifting them a route back into the match and conceding a soft second goal from a set-piece before normal service was resumed after the break.

With plenty of breathing space over second-placed Marseille at the top of Ligue 1, PSG now turn their attention to trying to overturn a 1-0 Champions League deficit when they travel to Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

History-making Mbappe out on his own

Mbappe has scored five goals in three games and 30 for the season to move beyond Cavani, doing so in 247 matches.

It looked like it would not be his night until he struck with time almost up and PSG will need him to maintain his magnificent form in Munich next week.

Messi enjoying his best scoring run

A run of scoring in five games in a row is Messi's best in the French top flight. The Argentina captain has also provided two assists in those five matches.

What's next?

A huge Champions League showdown with Bayern awaits PSG in midweek, while Nantes are at home to Nice next Sunday.

Tags

Ligue 1Paris Saint-GermainKylian Mbappe LottinNantes