PARIS, Aug 16: Lionel Messi stood and smiled, looking transfixed as Paris Saint-Germain fans chanted the soccer great’s name – “Leo Messi, Leo Messi” – before Saturday’s 4-2 home win against Strasbourg in the French league.
PSG’s latest signing joined four other recruits presented on the field to some 49,000 fans at Parc des Princes before kickoff.
Messi was not in the actual squad for the game, which saw PSG coasting at 3-0 only to get pegged back to 3-2 until a late red card for Strasbourg eased the pressure.
Icardi scored after three minutes, Kylian Mbappe found the net with a heavily deflected shot leading to an own-goal, and Mbappe’s deflected cross allowed Germany midfielder Julian Draxler to make it 3-0 in the 27th minute.
Former PSG forward Kevin Gameiro headed home for the visitors in the 53rd. Imposing striker Ludovic Ajorque’s even better header midway through the second half pulled it back to 3-2, drawing some whistles from the home crowd.
But after Strasbourg defender Alexander Djiku was sent off in the 82nd, Mbappe set up winger Pablo Sarabia from close range for PSG’s fourth goal.
Messi watched it all from the stands alongside his new and former teammate Neymar, who won the Champions League alongside Messi at Barcelona in 2015.
Although Messi has started training with PSG, he is not yet match fit.
Former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos applauded Messi – his eternal Barcelona nemesis and the all-time record scorer in “Clasicos” between Barcelona and Madrid – as he joined him on the podium.
Marseille threw away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Bordeaux in the French league on Sunday.
Dimitri Payet, who scored twice in last weekend’s victory at Montpellier, netted with a superb long-range strike to make it 2-0 in the 40th minute at Stade Velodrome.
Seven minutes earlier, Turkey winger Cengiz Under opened the scoring with his second goal in as many games for Marseille.
But Marseille dropped off in the second half and allowed Bordeaux to respond with goals from 18-year-old center half Timothee Pembele — who is on loan from Paris Saint-Germain — in the 51st and forward Remi Oudin in the 57th. Frustration got to Marseille defender Leonardo Balerdi, who was sent off in the 89th.
Fired by his previous club, Lyon’s new coach Peter Bosz is still without a win after a resounding 3-0 loss at Angers earlier Sunday.
Also, forward Wahbi Khazri scored in the first minute as Saint-Etienne drew 2-2 at Lens.
Striker Ignatius Ganago equalized for Lens in the 35th, but forward Denis Bouanga put the visitors ahead shortly after the break before captain Seko Fofana earned Lens a point.
Montpellier led 1-0, trailed 2-1 and led 3-2 at the break, before conceding a late equalizer in a 3-3 draw at Reims. (AP)
