Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 Clermont: Mbappe on target in emphatic win without Messi & Neymar

Without
Lionel
Messi
and
Neymar,
who
along
with
Leandro
Paredes
and
Angel
Di
Maria
were
given
extra
rest
following
their
international
exploits
in
midweek,
PSG
still
made
light
work
of
sealing
a
fifth
straight
win.

Passed
fit
to
feature
after
sustaining
a
calf
injury
while
on
France
duty,
Mbappe
–
the
subject
of
three
failed
bids
from
Real
Madrid
at
the
end
of
August
–
scored
his
fourth
goal
of
the
season
on
a
typically
blistering
counter-attack
10
minutes
into
the
second
half.

Herrera’s
first-half
double
had
put
PSG
into
a
comfortable
position,
with
promoted
Clermont
failing
to
test
debutant
Gianluigi
Donnarumma
despite
plenty
of
attacking
intent
as
Idrissa
Gueye
wrapped
up
an
emphatic
win.

Mbappe
created
PSG’s
first
chance
after
11
minutes,
though
Marquinhos
was
unable
to
direct
the
forward’s
free-kick
either
side
of
Arthur
Desmas.

Clermont’s
resolve
was
punctured
in
the
20th
minute,
though
–
Herrera
on
hand
to
head
home
after
Desmas
had
parried
Achraf
Hakimi’s
cross-shot.

Danilo
Pereira
would
have
made
it
2-0
four
minutes
later
if
not
for
Akim
Zedadka’s
block,
yet
PSG
would
not
be
denied
for
long.

Herrera
was
once
again
in
the
right
place
at
the
right
time
to
pounce
on
a
loose
ball,
this
time
lashing
a
finish
into
the
roof
of
the
net,
while
a
goal-line
block
prevented
Julian
Draxler
netting
a
third
before
half-time.

There
was
to
be
no
such
reprieve
for
Clermont
early
in
the
second
half
–
Mbappe
rounding
the
goalkeeper
to
finish
coolly
after
racing
onto
Draxler’s
lofted
pass.

Mbappe
should
have
doubled
his
tally,
or
teed
up
Rafinha,
just
after
the
hour,
only
for
the
youngster
to
chip
wide
when
one-on-one
with
Desmas.

He
atoned
moments
later,
a
rebound
from
his
shot
falling
to
Gueye,
who
nodded
in
at
the
back
post
to
cap
off
a
slick
display.