Lee Kang-in and Bradley Barcola each scored twice within the first half as Paris Saint-Germain shrugged off their newest Champions League woes to win 4-2 at Angers on Saturday, the right response to a comeback victory for nearest challengers Monaco earlier.
South Korea star Lee got here in as one in all 5 modifications to the PSG line-up made by coach Luis Enrique following the last-gasp midweek defeat at residence to Atletico Madrid, and he wasted little time making an influence.
Lee opened the scoring on 17 minutes with a shot that crossed the road earlier than Angers defender Jordan Lefort managed to clear, and he struck once more simply three minutes later from Marco Asensio’s low centre.
Barcola, Ligue 1’s main scorer, then took centre stage by firing in his workforce’s third aim simply after the half-hour mark and including one other with a header from Lee’s cross to make it 4-0 in first-half stoppage time.
The France winger, who was substituted at half-time, has now scored 10 targets in 11 video games in Ligue 1 this season, two extra targets than Mason Greenwood of Marseille.
PSG took the foot off the pedal late on, permitting Fifteenth-placed Angers to attain twice in stoppage time on the finish of the sport by way of a high-quality volley by Esteban Lepaul and an Emmanuel Biumla aim.
Nonetheless, that didn’t change the result and whereas PSG are battling 4 factors from 4 video games within the Champions League, in Ligue 1 they’re unbeaten and 6 factors away from second-placed Monaco.
“It was a whole efficiency,” stated Luis Enrique, whose facet are averaging three targets a sport in Ligue 1 this season, whereas toiling desperately to search out the web within the Champions League.
“We have been extraordinarily medical,” added the coach, who stated his workforce’s European aim difficulties have been being attributable to a psychological block and dismissed recommendations a decrease commonplace of opposition was aiding PSG domestically.
“The blockage will go. That is the start of a change. Should you have a look at Monaco and Brest (each performing effectively in Europe), that reveals the usual of Ligue 1 is excessive.”
– Comeback –
The principality facet — who’ve 10 factors from 12 within the Champions League to date — staged a late fightback to win 3-1 at Strasbourg, with Eliesse Ben Seghir scoring twice as they moved away from Marseille in second.
Liam Rosenior’s Strasbourg have been unbeaten at residence this season and went in entrance simply earlier than the half-hour by way of Ivory Coast worldwide Guela Doue.
It regarded as if Monaco would possibly pay the value for an enormous first-half miss by Breel Embolo after they nonetheless trailed inside the ultimate quarter of an hour in Alsace.
Nonetheless, the guests received a penalty when a Ben Seghir shot was stopped simply in entrance of the road by the arm of Diego Moreira.
Younger Moroccan worldwide Ben Seghir stroked within the spot-kick to equalise within the 79th minute after which transformed a Maghnes Akliouche help to place his facet forward with a minute of the 90 remaining.
Surprised Strasbourg conceded once more straight from the restart as Saidou Sow was caught in possession, permitting Nigerian substitute George Ilenikhena to run by way of and end.
It was a welcome return to successful methods domestically for Monaco after back-to-back losses.
They’re three factors forward of Marseille, with Roberto De Zerbi’s third-placed facet struggling a shock 3-1 loss at residence to Auxerre on Friday.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Lens additionally produced a late fightback as Nigerian midfielder Hamzat Ojediran and Adrien Thomasson each scored within the ultimate 5 minutes, permitting them to win 3-2 at residence to Nantes.
That end result lifted Will Nonetheless’s Lens as much as fifth, some extent behind northern rivals Lille, who go to Good on Sunday.
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