PARIS, Oct 2: Kylian Mbappe scored a late winner as defending champion Paris Saint-Germain edged Nice 2-1 to restore its two-point lead over Marseille in the French league on Saturday.
Mbappe pounced on a pass from Nordi Mukiele to beat Kasper Schmeichel with a low strike in the 83rd minute. The France striker tied Neymar as the joint top scorer in the league with eight. Lionel Messi gave PSG the lead in the 29th with a curling free kick into the top corner from 22 yards.
Gaetan Laborde equalised from close range just after halftime after the PSG defence failed to clear a cross from Youcef Atal.
Messi shone with Argentina during the international break by scoring twice against Honduras and twice against Jamaica, and could have added a second goal on the stroke of halftime with a powerful strike that Schmeichel tipped over the bar.
PSG needed Messi’s brilliance because forward Hugo Ekitike, who got his first start this season, proved toothless and didn’t make runs in behind the defence like Mbappe does.
Nice pressed high up the pitch to prevent PSG from creating chances. That defensive ploy worked until the 27th when Messi started a dribbling run, outpacing Mario Lemina before taking on Dante, who tripped the Argentina playmaker and conceded the free kick that led to the opening goal.
Also, Rennes climbed to fifth place after beating 10-man Strasbourg 3-1. (AP)
