PARIS, April 25: Paris Saint-Germain will have to wait at least a few more days to try to clinch the French league title.
Kylian Mbappé scored twice and provided an assist in a 4-1 win over Lorient on Wednesday, but there were no celebrations because second-place Monaco beat Lille 1-0 later in the evening.
The lead atop the standings is 11 points with four games remaining. Defending champion PSG can clinch its record-extending 12th French league title at home on Saturday against Le Havre.
PSG remains on course for a treble of trophies in Mbappé’s final season with the club, as it will play Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semifinals and face Lyon in the French Cup final next month.
In a match between the most prolific attack and the most porous defense in the league, PSG winger Ousmane Dembélé opened the scoring in the 19th minute in Lorient, a sleepy seaport in Brittany.
Mbappé doubled the lead by nonchalantly flicking a cross from Nuno Mendes into the far corner in the 22nd.
The France forward set up the third goal by dribbling past Nathaniel Adjei to square the ball back to Dembélé, who tapped into an empty net.
Mbappé sealed the win in the 90th with a curler into the far corner to solidify his spot as the top scorer in the league by raising his tally to 26 goals. Relegation-threatened Lorient scored a consolation goal with a powerful header from Mohamed Bamba off a cross from Benjamin Mendy in the 73rd.Gianluigi Donnarumma prevented a nervy finish by saving a low strike from Lorient substitute Panos Katseris in the 80th. PSG coach Luis Enrique fielded a makeshift team that included academy players Senny Mayulu and Yoram Zague. (PTI)
