Mbappé strikes twice as PSG ease past Monaco to open up 13 point lead

Kylian Mbappé bagged a brace against his old club Monaco on Sunday night as Paris Saint-Germain carved out a 13 point lead at the top of Ligue 1.

Kylian Mbappé scored both goals for Paris Saint-Germain in their 2-0 win over his former club Monaco. REUTERS - BENOIT TESSIER

Monaco were nearly ahead within two minutes at the Parc des Princes. Wissam Ben Yedder robbed Marco Verratti in midfield and surged forward.

The France international laid the ball off to Sofiane Diop but his effort slapped against the inside of the post and rebounded into the grateful arms of PSG goalkeeper Gigi Donnarumma.

Georgino Wijnaldum stabbed over in the sixth minute after neat interplay between Mbappé and Juan Bernat down the left wing.

Minutes later Mbappé did find the net. The striker thrashed home from the penalty spot after Djibril Sidibé felled Angel Di Maria.

Monaco's response was limp. Nico Kovac's men failed to pierce the PSG midfield and threaten. And PSG appeared content to permit the vapidity.

Indeed, Mbappé's second was born of Monaco's torpor.

With half-time approaching, Youssouf Fofana rolled a pass across midfield towards Axel Disasi.

Record

It didn't carry enough heft and to the delight of the partisans, Lionel Messi intercepted and sped towards goal.

As the Monaco defenders retreated, he slipped a pass to Mbappé who curled the ball past the Monaco goalkeeper Julian Nuebel to become the youngest player at 22 years and 357 days to hit 100 top flight goals for the same club.

Midway through the second half, Mbappé nearly set up Messi for PSG's third. But the Argentine's shot rolled past Nuebel's far post.

Monaco toiled to find a way back into the match but lacked the precision to unruffle Donnarumma.

The victory took PSG onto 45 points after 18 games. Marseille, 2-0 winners on Sunday afternoon, rose to second on 32 points after 17 matches.

Rennes, who started the day in second, dropped to third following a 2-1 defeat at home to Nice.