After an eternity of four games without scoring, Kylian Mbappé has found the “Mojo” to guide Paris-Saint-Germain to an easy victory against Montpellier (4-0) and consolidate its pole in Ligue 1, Friday at the opening of the 21e day.
Thank you “Kyky”. Thanks to his double (34, 63) and his pass for Neymar (60), PSG takes three lengths ahead of Lille (2e), which goes to Rennes on Sunday at 5 p.m. Mauro Icardi completed the poster (61).
Annoyed at not scoring in 2021, the 22-year-old world champion managed a full match. Mbappé also caused the exclusion of goalkeeper Jonas Omlin (19).
Speed, Mbappé’s main asset
These two decisive actions of the first half hour were played on his master asset, speed, as if the young star was returning to the fundamentals after seeming to seek a little his best gestures in the first games of the year, since the arrival of the new coach, Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentinian technician, back after contracting the Covid-19, must have appreciated the setting of the clocks on time.
Teased because he had not scored since December 23 against Strasbourg (4-0), Mbappé recalled that he was still the top scorer in L1. With these 13 and 14e goals he overtook Rémois Boulaye Dia (12 goals). His talent was not in crisis, but indeed the prodigy had shown some signs of uncertainty on somewhat useless delicacies, too high dribbling, unnecessary street-football gestures.
Aligned to the left or to the center, he was still decisive on two goals, in Saint-Etienne (1-1) and against Brest (3-0). Against Montpellier, he walked in his garden in the left corridor. Dimitry Bertaud also released one of his mule strikes (38). Mbappé’s effectiveness contrasted with the erasure of Mauro Icardi, clumsy at the edge on several occasions (9, 27, 32), stuck by Bertaud (54), before finally scoring.
Mbappé’s form, the absence of his attacking leader Andy Delort, hit in a thigh, and a really headwind: it was too much for Montpellier, which is slowly sinking, while he was playing first place in the first leg against PSG, on December 5. That day, Paris had torn up the dreams of Montpellier and Mbappé scored his 100e goal for PSG.
Screenplay rehearsal for Montpellier
If Michel Der Zakarian dreamed of an exploit on his return, he quickly became disillusioned. The match changed when the Hérault goalkeeper Jonas Omlin was excluded (19) for unbalancing Mbappé outside his area.
Willy Delajod had initially only released a yellow, but he transformed it into red after viewing: the Swede annihilated a scoring opportunity in the position of last defender. Neymar had passed a few minutes earlier under the radars of the video for a hard tackle on Téji Savanier (14).
Funny scenario repeat anyway for Montpellier: almost a year earlier in the same match, the 1er February, the MHSC had also lost its goalkeeper, Bertaud, excluded from the… 19e minute for a hand outside its area in front, already, Mbappé. Montpellier had collapsed at the Park (5-0). He did less worse this time …
The Hérault misfortunes continued, Florent Mollet, affected in a shock with Neymar, had to leave the field. And before Joris Chotard could replace him, PSG took the opportunity to open the scoring, eleven against nine, on a nice dive from Mbappé.
In the second half, PSG rolled out and signed three goals in four minutes. Neymar almost weighed down the mark of a return on the crossbar (69). The only inconvenience for Pochettino, who gradually recovered all his injuries, two major elements are affected.
Presnel Kimpembe gave up at the last moment to stay in the stands, replaced by Abdoulaye Diallo, and Keylor Navas, visibly affected, gave way at half-time to Sergio Rico. But for Mbappé, all is well, thank you.
