Ligue 1, PSG beat Lens 3-1 with brace from Mbappé

After the most tormented summer of his career, the French phenomenon leads the team to success with two goals in the second half. First success in the league for the Parisians

Alexander Grandesso

A brace dispels scuffles. A brace to launch the season. A brace to recover his audience. Mbappé left nothing to chance tonight at the Parco dei Principi, for the first time as owner with the new PSG. The one without Messi, without Neymar and led by Luis Enrique, helmsman of the new course, who has not yet understood whether with or without the Bondy phenomenon after the renunciation of the renewal beyond 2024. Maybe Mbappé will sign a new contract, saying no again to Real Madrid: there is no certainty about the future. In the meantime, the present is all about him, as the leader of a PSG who passed the Champions League test with Lens, vice-champion of France, even with Asensio’s goal. Guilavogui scored Lens’ flagship goal at the end.

balanced start

With Mbappé and Dembélé, Luis Enrique insisted on a 4-3-3 formation, and placed the two French internationals on the wings, with Asensio a central “forward” in place of the bruised Ramos, in the stands. Lens, in the usual 3-4-3 but with the new striker Wahi taken for 35 million from Montpellier on the bench, does not give up in turn to make its match. PSG, however, impose pressure across the pitch, even if less suffocating than in the first two days, and keep the ball, with peaks of over 80%. Not a detail against a team inclined to dominate, as demonstrated last season, finished in second place and just one point behind Paris. If the guests get to the shot more easily, without however framing Donnarumma’s goal, the hosts keep the opponents in tension with those two up front. And in the half hour Mbappé’s first shot arrives, in an action developed in percussion with Dembélé who needs support for the shot rejected by Samba. Same as 2′ later, when Dembélé again pours a cross from the right into the opposite area where Mbappé has time to load in a volley, again rejected on the line.

goal and triumph

The first goal thus comes with Asensio at the end, on another counterattack, developed with an incipit from Mbappé. The ex from Real Madrid, who arrived in Paris as a free agent, received on the edge from Zaire-Emery, the fans’ favorite, and unloaded his left foot into the net (45′). In the 7th minute of the second half Mbappé the Parco dei Principi is recovered, receiving from Hernandez and shooting with his right foot from the edge: precise and powerful shot that sends the stadium into a frenzy. Mbappé thus goes to collect deserved applause by spreading his arms, king of his people again, at his feet when at the end he placed his right foot from the center of the box, served by Ruiz (91 ‘). In any case, the curve had not foreseen protests, boos or banners like the one, which appeared after the Frenchman’s goal, dedicated to Neymar “Finally get rid of the rude”. For Mbappé, on the other hand, applause also at the announcement of the formation and then the choruses of the ultras after the goal that certifies the first victory of the season for Luis Enrique’s band. Without Messi, migrated to Miami. Without Neymar, dumped at Al Ahli. But with Mbappé, the only roi in Paris.



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