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Final Up to date: January 12, 2023, 07:28 IST
Ligue 1: PSG’s Lionel Messi towards Angers (AP)
Lionel Messi celebrated his return to competitors after the FIFA World Cup by scoring a second-half purpose as Paris St Germain prolonged their Ligue 1 result in six factors with a 2-Zero win over Angers
Lionel Messi scored in Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-Zero win over Angers in Ligue 1 on Wednesday on his first look since main Argentina to victory within the World Cup in Qatar.
Messi had been rested for PSG’s first three matches following the lengthy break within the season brought on by the World Cup however he returned to coaching in Paris every week in the past and was again within the beginning line-up for this sport towards Ligue 1’s backside facet.
The win, which got here three and a half weeks after he captained Argentina to their World Cup last triumph on penalties towards France in Qatar, noticed PSG transfer six factors clear on the prime of the French desk.
Neymar additionally began, having missed his group’s final two matches because of suspension and to endure therapy on the ankle damage he suffered taking part in for Brazil on the World Cup.
In the meantime Kylian Mbappe was rested for a second straight sport having been afforded day without work for a vacation in New York within the wake of his personal World Cup marketing campaign, which noticed him rating a hat-trick within the last however come out on the dropping facet.
Mbappe and Messi are anticipated to be reunited this weekend in Sunday’s match away to Rennes.
Within the meantime the absence of the France star meant younger striker Hugo Ekitike once more began within the dwelling assault on the Parc des Princes and he opened the scoring within the fifth minute from a Nordi Mukiele cross on the finish of a transfer by which Messi additionally featured.
PSG weren’t at their glowing greatest however Messi swept in his 13th membership purpose of the season to make it 2-Zero with 17 minutes left.
Ekitike and Mukiele have been once more concerned earlier than Messi utilized the end. The purpose was initially disallowed for offside however a VAR test allowed it to face.
“Messi has recovered nicely. He’s relaxed and in nice form bodily, and with Leo the group seems to be completely different,” mentioned coach Christophe Galtier.
Chatting with broadcaster Canal Plus, Galtier, who mentioned he had come down with a fever through the sport, added: “We’re coming again off the World Cup so it’s troublesome for the gamers to seek out their reference factors once more.”
“We’re all simply getting used to taking part in collectively once more and you may see at occasions that we lacked among the connections between the gamers that we had extra typically earlier than the World Cup.”
PSG lengthen lead over Lens
It was a 10th straight league loss for Angers, whereas Galtier’s PSG group prolonged their lead on the prime of the desk as second-placed Lens have been held to a 2-2 draw away at Strasbourg.
PSG’s unbeaten file this season had been resulted in a 3-1 defeat away at Lens on New Yr’s Day, however they bounced again to win 3-1 at third-tier Chateauroux within the French Cup on the weekend with none of their famous person attacking trio.
Lens are having fun with a high-quality season however couldn’t get the higher of struggling Strasbourg, who have been taking part in their first sport because the sacking of coach Julien Stephan.
Alexis Claude-Maurice put Lens forward in Alsace just for Sanjin Prcic to equalise earlier than Kevin Gameiro gave Strasbourg the lead.
Belgian worldwide Lois Openda then made it 2-2 earlier than the break, and there have been no additional targets.
Marseille at the moment are simply two factors behind Lens in third place after a 2-Zero win at Troyes, sealed due to targets by Chancel Mbemba and Jordan Veretout, the latter a member of France’s World Cup squad.
Rennes in fourth misplaced floor after having two males despatched off earlier than conceding in damage time to lose 2-1 away at Clermont.
In the meantime fifth-placed Monaco drew 2-2 at Lorient, whereas Good crushed Montpellier 6-1 of their first sport since sacking coach Lucien Favre.
On-loan Arsenal ahead Nicolas Pepe and England worldwide midfielder Ross Barkley each scored twice for Good.
Lyon and Lille drew 0-Zero away at Nantes and Brest respectively, whereas there have been additionally wins for Toulouse and Ajaccio.
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