Messi, Mbappe help PSG win the bottom team

The match was almost decided after only the first 26 minutes, when Mbappe scored twice to help PSG lead 2-0. Lionel Messi played deep, contributed in both goals with an open ball to initiate the situation, and an assist. Playing leisurely for the rest of the game, PSG kept a clean sheet until the 87th minute, before Sada Thioub pulled back a goal for Angers. Winning 2-1, PSG temporarily widened the gap with the chasing group to 11 points.

PSG soon had an advantage against the weakest opponent in the tournament. From outside the penalty area, Messi passed the ball sharp to Juan Bernat down. The Spanish defender then created conditions for Mbappe to finish close to the goal to open the scoring. 17 minutes later, Messi poked a slot from the middle of the field, eliminated the Angers defense and put Kylian Mbappe in the face after speeding. The French superstar tricked the goalkeeper, then easily scored into an empty net.

With an assist in the 26th minute, Messi became the third player to have scored 15 goals and contributed 15 or more assists in a Ligue 1 season in the past 16 years, alongside Eden Hazard in 2011-2012 and Kylian Mbappe in 2021- 2022.

The brace at the beginning of the match against Angers also helped Mbappe mark his shoes in 214 Ligue 1 goals (157 goals, 57 assists). This number equals the record held by Dimitri Payet at the top French league. Mbappe also rose to monopolize the lead in this season's Ligue 1 top scorer race with 22 goals, two more than Jonathan David.

If you take the opportunity, PSG can also lead Angers with a larger gap. The away team kicked freely for the rest of the game, but still held the ball 65% in the second half. Angers showed good fighting spirit, finishing nine times in the last 45 minutes. The hosts' efforts paid off, with Thioub's late goal.

PSG has 75 points after 32 matches, 11 points ahead of Marseille but also played one more game. This distance can be maintained, when Marseille must be a guest at Lyon in the late match of the 32nd round. Angers, with 14 points, is 17 points behind the safety group with only six matches left in the immediate future. The home team of Raymond-Kopa is considered to have set foot in Ligue 2.