Lionel Messi was crucial in the build-up for the first goal and scored the second as PSG beat Angers to go six points clear at the top of Ligue 1.
At first, Lionel Messi looked offside. The Paris Saint-Germain No.10 had darted towards goal, met Nordi Mukiele's pass in stride and slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the Angers net.
But the assistant raised his flag before the Argentine could properly celebrate. VAR, though, overturned the ruling, and Messi was awarded a goal on his return to club football after his heroics at Qatar 2022.
His composed finish was PSG's second goal of the night and settled his team-mates during what was, at times at least, an uneasy performance from the Ligue 1 leaders.
In truth, they never found their best against 20th-placed Angers. But an early goal, followed by a moment of magic from their star man sealed an ultimately comfortable 2-0 win.
PSG wasted little time taking the lead, carving through Angers with relative ease just five minutes in. Messi evaded two defenders before feeding Mukiele, who sprinted down the right and sent a teasing ball to the near post, which Hugo Ekitike swept into the far corner.
Messi was a consistent contributor for the remainder of the half, with the Argentine creating a golden chance for Sergio Ramos before seeing a shot of his own tipped around the post.
But it was an otherwise languid first-half showing, with the table-toppers failing to develop an attacking rhythm, and settling for a 1-0 lead at the break.
Angers gave a good account of themselves in the second half, and created a few chances. Abdallah Sima had the best, blasting over from five yards out.
But just as they appeared to be growing into the game, Messi's delicate finish changed things, adding a touch of class to a shoddy but significant win.
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lionel messi's first touch is perfect 🤤 (tw/fs_lm10) #football #lionelmessi #messi #soccer #futbol #fyp
♬ orijinal ses – 𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗔¹⁸⁹⁹
GettyThe Winners
Lionel Messi:
There are games where Messi doesn't really have to try. He can stroll, contemplate the texture of the grass, perhaps admire the raucous Parc de Princes atmosphere. And then, something will happen. Sometimes it's a drop of the shoulder, others a no-look pass, an instantaneous reminder of his other-worldly quality. This was one of those games for Messi. He had the third fewest touches of any outfield PSG player in the first half, but created a big chance for Sergio Ramos, and was a vital part of the build up for his team's opener. He was even quieter in the second half, but broke his silence with a wonderfully taken goal. This was a far from perfect appearance from the World Cup winner and yet he was still the game's most decisive player. Remarkable.
Hugo Ekitike:
It's a bit simplistic to say that PSG needed to find goals in Kylian Mbappe's absence. But then, Ekitike isn't really a complex player. His impact on the flow of the game is relatively minimal. He's not the best passer, nor does he take on defenders with much conviction. However, Ekitike, as he has shown in recent weeks, is very good at getting into the right positions and finishing from close range. Here, he opened the scoring for his fourth goal in five games – a handy purple patch in the absence of some of PSG's bigger names.
Nordi Mukiele
The France international has been misused in recent weeks. First, he was told to play a more defensive role at right-back. Then, he played on the left, where he incessantly cut inside onto his stronger right foot. But in this game, he was back in more comfortable territory, marauding up the touchline in the right-wing-back spot. Mukiele is a slightly awkward player to watch, but his understanding with Messi is undeniably impressive. And it showed here, as Mukiele bagged two assists, feeding Ekitike and Messi for PSG's two goals. He will likely be forced to a more central role when Achraf Hakimi returns from injury, but Mukiele is a more than reliable back-up.
AdvertisementGettyThe Losers
Neymar:
While fellow returnee Messi enjoyed an agreeable return, Neymar wasn't quite as steady in his first appearance in two weeks. Indeed, the Brazilian was far short of his brilliant best, loose in possession and lacking in sharpness. He appeared to pick up an injury early on, limping around the pitch after a tackle that appeared to contain little contact. And he never really settled after that, struggling to link up with Juan Bernat and Ekitike out wide. This obviously was not the kind of game in which PSG needed Neymar at his best, and getting an extended run-out is always a good thing for a player working his way back to full fitness, but it was a poor showing from one of the world's best.
RC Lens:
It was always going to be a big ask for Lens to stay in the title race. But after they beat PSG last week, pulling within touching distance of the Ligue 1 summit, there was a brief moment of optimism. On Wednesday, though, they made life difficult for themselves, dropping points to relegation-threatened Strasbourg in a frustrating 2-2 draw. And they didn't get any favours from PSG, either, as the Parisians got the job done against Angers, albeit in an ugly fashion. Lens now trail PSG by six points, and the slimmest of title hopes seem to be fading away.
GettyPSG Ratings: Defence
Gianluigi Donnarumma (6/10):
Mostly a spectator, aside from one very poor clearance that almost cost his side.
Marquinhos (6/10):
The Brazilian didn't have a very busy night at the back, but kept the ball moving well.
Sergio Ramos (7/10):
Forced a fantastic save off Bernadoni with a driven header, and led PSG with 13 recoveries. A classy performance from the Spaniard.
Danilo Pereira (6/10):
Not the steadiest display on the left side of PSG's back three. He's not a natural centre-back, and can be exposed at times.
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GettyMidfield
Nordi Mukiele (8/10):
Looked far more comfortable at right-wing-back and contributed immediately, assisting Ekitike inside five mins. Added another in the second half to cap off an impressive performance.
Vitinha (7/10):
The only midfield player who seems to truly benefit from Neymar and Messi being in the line-up, Vitinha makes all the little runs and creates space for PSG's dynamic duo. He was as handy as ever, and had some magical runs into the final third.
Fabian Ruiz (6/10):
A puzzling player. Did a lot of pretty things without really accomplishing much.
Juan Bernat (6/10):
Started poorly but improved as things went on. Made one impressive recovery, but was then caught badly out of position as Angers almost scored.