Neymar Sent Off As Mbappe Rescues Victory For PSG
29 December, 2022
Neymar was sent off on his return for Paris Saint-Germain, who resumed Ligue 1 action with victory over Strasbourg thanks to Kylian Mbappe's late winner.
Ligue 1
Result: Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Strasbourg
Date: 28 December 2022
Venue: Parc des Princes
The Parisians were without World Cup winner Lionel Messi, who was yet to return but runners-up with France Mbappe and Brazil's Neymar were present in the line-up, joined by Hugo Ekitike in attack.
PSG had a perfect start after Marquinhos gave them the lead on 14 minutes with a well-placed header, arriving late in the box from Neymar's whipped in free-kick.
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However, Strasbourg also had their own threats going forward, despite scant possession, as on the half-hour mark Kevin Gameiro forced a superb save from Gianluigi Donnarumma with a first-time shot in the box.The game opened up in the latter skirmishes of the second stanza, with end to end attacks and Donnarumma preserved PSG's lead going to the interval after punching a goal-bound header by Ludovic Ajorque.
Strasbourg had a start they were looking for early in the second stanza after Marquinhos deflected a cross by Adrien Thomasson that wrong-footed Donnarumma and went to the back of his own net.
PSG were spirited to redeem their lead but they suffered a set-back shortly after the hour-mark after Neymar got a second booking and was sent off for simulation, after he was deemed to have dived from a challenge in the box.
Christophe Galtier required fresh legs going forward in the closing stages with a double change, as Carlos Soler and Pablo Sarabia beefed up their attack in places of Ekitike and Vitinha.
The changes by Galtier had the desired effect, as PSG threatened in the dying minutes and the hosts were awarded a penalty in stoppage time after Mbappe was clipped in the box about to shoot by Gerzino Nyamsi.
Mbappe went up to take the spot-kick and fired home the winner for the Parisians with a strike in the bottom corner, that extended their lead at the top of the table to eight points, having played an extra game
Source: www.snl24.com