Mbappe scores as PSG beats Marseille 2-0, Lille stays top
By Jerome PugmireFebruary 7, 2021 GMT
PARIS (AP) Kylian Mbappe scored early on as Paris Saint-Germain eased to a 2-0 win at bitter rival Marseille in the French league on Sunday.
The contest was far removed from September’s fiery meeting in Paris, when Marseille won 1-0 and five players were sent off.
Mbappe struck in the eighth minute with a confident finish after sprinting clear from near the halfway line, and strike partner Mauro Icardi flicked a looping header over goalkeeper Steve Mandanda in the 23rd.
Although Marseille improved after the break, it was missing imposing striker Arkadiusz Milik because of a thigh injury and was ineffective without its new signing from Napoli.
Lille (16-2-6) restored its two-point lead over Lyon (15-2-7). Third-place Paris Saint-Germain (16-5-3), which blanked rival Marseille 2-0 later Sunday, is another one point back.
Kylian Mbappe and Mauro Icardi scored in the first half for PSG. Marseille, who have lost four of their last five games, saw Dimitri Payet sent off in the last minute.
In other action Sunday, Aleksandr Golovin scored a hat trick and set up the other goal as Monaco won 4-3 at Nimes for a seventh straight league win.
David opened the scoring for Lille after eight minutes against a lacklustre Nantes side that is in 18th place and has not won any of the six games since former France coach Raymond Domenech took charge.
Marseille misses penalty in home loss to lowly Nimes
Florian Thauvin fluffed a penalty and Marseille paid the price as it was stunned at home by struggling Nimes 2-1 in the French league on Saturday.
The Canadian Press Valentin Rongier , The Canadian Press
PARIS Defender Layvin Kurzawa s goal was just enough as defending champion Paris Saint-Germain earned a scrappy 1-0 win at Angers to go top of the French league on Saturday.
But title challenger Lyon can restore its one-point lead by beating mid-table Metz at home on Sunday.
PSG was without coach Mauricio Pochettino after he tested positive for the coronavirus, and his two assistants took charge.