Lionel Messi scores however Mbappe injured as PSG win to maneuver 5 factors clear

World Cup winner Lionel Messi scored and Kylian Mbappé missed a twice-taken penalty earlier than getting injured as Paris Saint-Germain gained 3-1 at Montpellier to maneuver 5 factors clear on the prime of the French league on Wednesday.

Mbappé went down clutching his leg just below the correct knee and limped off within the twenty first minute — having earlier missed a twice-taken penalty and blazed the rebound over an open purpose on his second effort.

It was unclear precisely what his damage was. Television cameras additionally caught him rubbing the again of his left thigh as he walked to the dressing room.

PSG coach Christophe Galtier instructed broadcaster Canal Plus “he took a blow behind the knee,” after which mentioned at his information convention the damage doesn’t seem critical.

“Is it a bruise? We don’t know yet. It doesn’t look very serious,” Galtier mentioned. “We’re not too worried.”

PSG’s Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring his aspect’s second purpose in the course of the French League One soccer match between Montpellier and Paris Saint-Germain on the State La Mosson stadium in Montpellier, France, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

The Argentina star Messi tucked dwelling PSG’s second purpose with a usually neat end within the 72nd after being arrange by Fabián Ruiz, who put PSG forward within the fifty fifth.

Striker Arnaud Nordin pulled one again within the 89th and, with the house staff pushing ahead, 16-year-old substitute Warren Zaïre-Emery drove the ball dwelling for 3-1 in stoppage time along with his first purpose for the membership.

“It’s my first goal in the first division, so I’m very happy,” Zaïre-Emery mentioned after changing into PSG’s youngest scorer. The midfielder turns 17 in March.

Defending champion PSG is 5 factors forward of Marseille, which gained 2-0 at Nantes to maneuver one level forward of Lens into second spot for the automated Champions League place.

Lens misplaced 1-0 towards Nice for its first dwelling league defeat and second general.

PSG’s Kylian Mbappe reacts after lacking an opportunity in the course of the French League One soccer match between Montpellier and Paris Saint-Germain on the State La Mosson stadium in Montpellier, France, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

PSG visits each Monaco and Marseille this month and is at Marseille within the French Cup, in addition to takes on Bayern Munich within the first leg of their round-of-16 encounter within the Champions League on Feb. 14.

Earlier, Marseille prolonged its unbeaten run to 10 video games general.

Marseille scored within the 58th when Nantes central defender Joao Victor put the ball into his personal web when tackling on-rushing winger Cengiz Ünder contained in the penalty space. New signing Azzedine Ounahi, a midfielder with World Cup semifinalst Morocco, added the second purpose in stoppage time on his Marseille debut.

Nantes had not conceded a purpose in its seven earlier video games. Marseille has gained seven of its previous eight league matches beneath coach Igor Tudor.

Striker Gaetan Laborde netted for the second straight recreation as eighth-place Nice handed Lens its first league defeat since Oct. 9.

Fourth-place Monaco continued its scoring kind with a 3-2 dwelling win towards Nineteenth-place Auxerre to remain one level forward of fifth-place Rennes. Striker Wissam Ben Yedder and 17-year-old attacking midfielder Eliesse Ben Seghir each scored for Monaco, which has 13 objectives in its previous 4 league video games.

Forward Amine Gouiri scored twice for Rennes in a 3-0 dwelling win towards 18th-place Strasbourg whereas mid-table Lyon drew 0-0 at dwelling to Brest.

Elsewhere, English striker Folarin Balogun, who equalized in stoppage time when Reims drew 1-1 at PSG on Sunday, grabbed a hat-trick in his staff’s 4-2 win towards Lorient to maneuver prime of the scoring charts. His 14 objectives put him one forward of PSG striker Kylian Mbappé.

Balogun, who began his profession at Premier League membership Arsenal, netted his treble towards goalkeeper Vito Mannone, who additionally started his profession at Arsenal, and even went near a fourth purpose close to the tip.

Dutch striker Thijs Dallinga adopted up his two objectives for Toulouse final weekend along with his staff’s first purpose in a 4-1 win towards Troyes.

Also, Clermont earned a 0-0 draw at Lille and last-place Angers misplaced 2-1 at dwelling to fellow struggler Ajaccio, which scored within the fourth minute of damage time by striker Mounaïm El Idrissy.

Angers has misplaced a French league document 13 straight matches and has gained solely two of 21 this season.