Messi guides PSG to victory on return after World Cup triumph | Soccer Information
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Lionel Messi scored in Paris Saint-Germain's 2-0 win over Angers in Ligue 1 on Wednesday on his first look since main Argentina to victory within the World Cup in Qatar.
Messi had been rested for PSG's first three matches following the lengthy break within the season attributable to the World Cup however he returned to coaching in Paris every week in the past and was again within the beginning line-up for this recreation towards Ligue 1's backside aspect.
The win, which got here three and a half weeks after he captained Argentina to their World Cup ultimate triumph on penalties towards France in Qatar, noticed PSG transfer six factors clear on the high of the French desk.
Neymar additionally began, having missed his workforce's final two matches as a result of suspension and to bear therapy on the ankle damage he suffered enjoying for Brazil on the World Cup.
In the meantime Kylian Mbappe was rested for a second straight recreation having been afforded break day for a vacation in New York within the wake of his personal World Cup marketing campaign, which noticed him rating a hat-trick within the ultimate however come out on the dropping aspect.
Mbappe and Messi are anticipated to be reunited this weekend in Sunday's match away to Rennes.
Within the meantime the absence of the France star meant younger striker Hugo Ekitike once more began within the dwelling assault on the Parc des Princes and he opened the scoring within the fifth minute from a Nordi Mukiele cross on the finish of a transfer through which Messi additionally featured.
PSG weren't at their glowing finest however Messi swept in his thirteenth membership objective of the season to make it 2-0 with 17 minutes left.
Ekitike and Mukiele had been once more concerned earlier than Messi utilized the end. The objective was initially disallowed for offside however a VAR examine allowed it to face.
"Messi has recovered effectively. He's relaxed and in nice form bodily, and with Leo the workforce seems totally different," mentioned coach Christophe Galtier.
Chatting with broadcaster Canal Plus, Galtier, who mentioned he had come down with a fever in the course of the recreation, added: "We're coming again off the World Cup so it's troublesome for the gamers to search out their reference factors once more."
"We're all simply getting used to enjoying collectively once more and you might see at instances that we lacked a few of the connections between the gamers that we had extra typically earlier than the World Cup."
PSG lengthen lead over Lens
It was a tenth straight league loss for Angers, whereas Galtier's PSG workforce prolonged their lead on the high of the desk as second-placed Lens had been held to a 2-2 draw away at Strasbourg.
PSG's unbeaten document this season had been led to a 3-1 defeat away at Lens on New 12 months's Day, however they bounced again to win 3-1 at third-tier Chateauroux within the French Cup on the weekend with none of their celebrity attacking trio.
Lens are having fun with a effective season however couldn't get the higher of struggling Strasbourg, who had been enjoying their first recreation because the sacking of coach Julien Stephan.
Alexis Claude-Maurice put Lens forward in Alsace just for Sanjin Prcic to equalise earlier than Kevin Gameiro gave Strasbourg the lead.
Belgian worldwide Lois Openda then made it 2-2 earlier than the break, and there have been no additional targets.
Marseille are actually simply two factors behind Lens in third place after a 2-0 win at Troyes, sealed because of targets by Chancel Mbemba and Jordan Veretout, the latter a member of France's World Cup squad.
Rennes in fourth misplaced floor after having two males despatched off earlier than conceding in damage time to lose 2-1 away at Clermont.
In the meantime fifth-placed Monaco drew 2-2 at Lorient, whereas Good crushed Montpellier 6-1 of their first recreation since sacking coach Lucien Favre.
On-loan Arsenal ahead Nicolas Pepe and England worldwide midfielder Ross Barkley each scored twice for Good.
Lyon and Lille drew 0-0 away at Nantes and Brest respectively, whereas there have been additionally wins for Toulouse and Ajaccio.
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