Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi scored a goal each as French league leaders Paris Saint-Germain profited from a red card.

cc and Lionel Messi scored a goal each as French league leader Paris Saint-Germain profited from a red card to beat second-place Lens 3-1 and move nine points clear of its rival.

PSG’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his side’s opening goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Lens at Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Saturday, April 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)(AP)

It was an extra special goal for Mbappé. Earlier this season he became PSG’s all-time leading scorer when he beat Edinson Cavani’s 200-goal mark. Mbappé’s strike on Saturday against Lens made the 24-year-old France striker the outright all-time top scorer for PSG in the league with 139 goals. Cavani netted 138.

Overall, Mbappé now counts 203 for PSG.

Marseille can go above Lens with a home win against struggling Troyes on Sunday, with seven games left after this weekend’s round.

Lens was in complete control until midfielder Salis Abdul Samed was sent off for a reckless challenge on right back Achraf Hakimi in the 19th minute.

Mbappé scored his league-leading 20th goal when he took a pass from midfielder Vitinha and turned quickly before hitting a first-time shot into the bottom right corner in the 31st. Vitinha doubled the lead six minutes later with a 25-meter strike into the same corner.

Messi then combined in the 40th with Mbappé, who backheeled the ball to the Argentine for a low strike. It was Messi’s 15th league goal.

Lens played better than PSG in the second half, despite being a player down. A handball from PSG midfielder Fabian Ruiz following a corner gave Lens a penalty and Poland winger Przemyslaw Frankowski sent goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way in the 60th.

Lens’ 15-goal top scorer Loïs Openda had a shot saved in the 64th and then forced a corner as the visitors kept up the pressure.

PSG coach Christophe Galtier has been under pressure after eight defeats this year across all competitions, and this week vehemently denied allegations he had made racist and anti-Muslim comments when he was in charge of Nice last season.

The Parc des Princes crowd fell silent as Lens dominated early on, with Samed’s header smartly saved by Donnarumma after just two minutes.

PSG defender Danilo almost scored an embarrassing own-goal when his looping back pass from near halfway surprised Donnarumma in the 10th and bounced just wide.

The match turned in PSG’s favor when midfielder Samed lunged at Hakimi and caught his left ankle in a dangerous tackle.

Also Saturday, Rennes beat Reims 3-0 to move one point above Lille and into fifth place. Belgium winger Jérémy Doku scored twice for Rennes inside the first 20 minutes. Defender Arthur Theate made it 3-0 in the 69th.

Kylian Mbappé has already achieved much in his young career. The 24-year-old has won a World Cup, scored a hattrick in a World Cup final and is captain of France.

On Saturday, he added more to his résumé by becoming Paris Saint-Germain’s all-time leading scorer in Ligue 1.

PSG: ‘Defeat is a culture’ at club as French team again dumped out of the Champions League

Mbappé was the star of the show in a crucial 3-1 victory against Lens, scoring the opener for his 139th league goal for the club. He also beautifully set up Lionel Messi – who scored three minutes after Vitinha had put PSG 2-0 up – in a brilliant team goal.

The Frenchman has achieved his feat in 169 Ligue 1 games, overtaking Edison Cavani who netted 138 times in Ligue 1 for the club in 200 league games.

Second-placed Lens is challenging PSG for the Ligue 1 title but now nine points adrift of the Parisians it is looking likely that PSG will win an 11th title.

Salis Adbul Samed’s red card in the 19th minute didn’t help Lens.

PSG had been going through an indifferent period, losing two home games on the bounce to give title rivals Lens and Marseille hope.

PSG coach Christophe Galtier told PSG TV after the match: “If there was a match we had to win, it was this one, after the two straight losses at the Parc. Lens are one of our rivals and obviously it was important to win.

“There are seven games left. I know that Lens and Marseille will not give up. We must continue to be focused. I just saw that we have been in top spot since the beginning of the season.

“We have to continue like that and prepare well for the Angers game, which comes early, on Friday. Our fixture list looks favorable, but it is only favorable if we invest ourselves fully and show a great determination to win.”

PSG next plays Angers at the Stade Raymond-Kopa on April 21.

Source: edition.cnn.com