PARIS — Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi were both on target as Paris Saint-Germain beat RC Lens 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Saturday to reestablish a nine-point lead at the summit. Vitinha was also on target as Salis Abdul Samed saw red for the visitors who grabbed a consolation effort through Przemyslaw Frankowski’s second-half penalty. However, despite back-to-back wins over two of the more established Championnat sides, it feels like this was merely confirmation that PSG could perhaps have done more earlier this season.
Mbappe’s goal wrote the French superstar further into the history books at Parc des Princes as the capital club’s leading Ligue 1 scorer with 139 goals. It was Mbappe’s combination with Messi which really caught the eye in the capital on Saturday as the pair combined for the hosts’ third after Vitinha had added to Mbappe’s opener. It all felt a bit too easy for PSG against Ligue 1’s second best side, though, after Lens went down to 10 men because of Samed’s lunging attempt at a tackle after the visitors had made a bright start.
Unlike OGC Nice, this was a largely deserved victory where Christophe Galtier’s side were sharper in front of goal than Franck Haise’s men. That did not stop a few sloppy Parisien defensive errors, though, with Fabian Ruiz conceding a second half penalty for a handball which he can have few complaints over. Ultimately, it was a reminder that this PSG side could have given more when the UEFA Champions League and Coupe de France were in play.
Mbappe has looked jaded of late but got up for this one with a neat finish in off the post for his historic goal and then a superb backheel to tee Messi up. Nuno Mendes was also impressive once more and very nearly scored a goal of the season contender with a first half finish which he just fired wide. Lens gave a good account of themselves before going 1-0 down and during the second half when they could have crumbled at 3-0 down.
The damage was done by Samed’s dismissal, though, and perhaps the game would have played out differently at 11 vs. 11 given that the Northerners were on top until then. With Galtier under-fire because of a scandal concerning his time with Nice and Mbappe pushing PSG on their heavy use of his for their season ticket campaign, this should have been an end to the crisis.
However, trouble rarely feels far away in Paris and the reality is that they have been run closer for the Ligue 1 title than expected in a season when they are just about achieving the absolute bare minimum. Overhauling PSG should now be beyond the likes of Lens and Olympique de Marseille but you never know with this iteration of the capital side.