PARIS: Kylian Mbappe scored his 100th goal for Paris St Germain, netting a brace as the Ligue 1 leaders beat Monaco 2-0 on Sunday.

The France star, who scored twice midweek in the Champions League in a 4-1 win against Club Brugge, gave PSG the lead from the penalty spot and doubled his tally just before halftime from Lionel Messi’s assist.

At the age of 22 years and 357 days, Mbappe is the youngest player to score 100 goals for a single team in the French top flight, according to Opta’s analysis of statistics since 1950.

The comfortable win allowed PSG to extend their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to 13 points from Olympique de Marseille, who won 2-0 at Strasbourg earlier on Sunday and have a game in hand.

PSG had only a couple of chances in the first half and converted both as Mbappe showed no mercy for the club he helped to the league title in 2017.

The hosts were awarded a penalty after Djibril Sidibe fouled Angel Di Maria. Mbappe took the penalty and beat Monaco goalkeeper Alexander Nubel to break the deadlock in the 11th minute.

Messi initiated the counterattack that led to PSG’s second goal. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner intercepted a pass, ran past defenders before setting up Mbappe, who curled a shot into the back of the net.

Marseille moved back up to second as their win at Strasbourg took them above Stade Rennais, who lost at home to Nice.

Young Senegalese striker Bamba Dieng put Marseille ahead in Alsace with an acrobatic volleyed finish just after the hour. Duje Caleta-Car headed in a Dimitri Payet corner late on to seal the points.

Kasper Dolberg scored one goal and set up another as Nice won 2-1 at Rennes in a clash between two clubs with Champions League ambitions.

Nice started the campaign strongly before stumbling in recent weeks but they went ahead in Brittany when Dolberg converted a 19th-minute penalty awarded for a foul on Dante.

Denmark striker Dolberg then teed up Youcef Atal to score the second in the 51st minute.

Benjamin Bourigeaud pulled one back for Rennes but Nice held on to close to within a point of Rennes in the table.

Reigning champions Lille, fresh from qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League, were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Olympique Lyonnais, a result which leaves both clubs in mid-table.

Metz secured an emphatic 4-1 win over fellow strugglers Lorient to leapfrog their rivals in the relegation zone.

Metz’s first win at home this season lifted the club to 18th in the standings, level on points with Lorient.

Angers were upset 1-0 at home by Clermont while Girondins Bordeaux won 2-1 at Troyes.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2021