Lyon 1-4 PSG: Kylian Mbappe strikes twice in first-half blitz as Ligue 1 champions cruise

Paris Saint-Germain seem to be putting all the right building blocks in place as they eased to a second Ligue 1 win of the season at Lyon, running out 4-1 winners at the Groupama Stadium amid angry scenes from the home support, who loudly booed their side off at half-time.

Kylian Mbappe notched a second brace in as many games to further rubberstamp his return as the golden boy of French football, while Achraf Hakimi and Marco Asensio also got on the scoresheet as the champions threatened to run riot.

After collecting just one point in their first three games and having their assets frozen this week, it’s fair to say that Lyon haven’t had the best start to their 2023/24 season as off-the-field issues continue to plague them and hamper their on-pitch progress, and they were dealt another blow inside five minutes, when a sloppy pass from Anthony Lopes, the returning goalkeeper, had Corentin Tolisso caught in a Paris swarm. The Frenchman was robbed by the enthusiastic Uruguayan Manuel Ugarte, and in his panic, Tolisso felled the 22-year-old defensive midfielder to concede a penalty.

Mbappe converted unconvincingly; a nonchalent side-foot down the middle scraped the knee of Lopes on its way in, but the net still rustled, and Luis Enrique’s Parisians had drawn first blood.

On 20 minutes, it was two. Paris cut through the Lyon defensive skeleton with far too much ease. Ugarte, the metronome in the middle, started the move in the engine room, spreading it wide right for Ousmane Dembele. The French winger drove to the byline, using his two-footedness to send a low cross into the box. Cue panic in the Lyon six-yard, with Mbappe well foiled at the feet by Lopes, but Hakimi, the right-back, was the spare, unmarked man to poke home and compile further misery onto the beleaguered Lyonnais.

Paris finally had their third six minutes before the break, as they worked it through the thirds, back to front, and they were allowed to do so at their leisure. Milan Skriniar was given time as Lyon sat off, and his ball into Ugarte found the midfielder in far too much space. The Uruguayan sent a laser-like through pass in behind for Asensio to chase, and the Spaniard had the composure to pass it inside Lopes’ near post for 3-0.

In the final minute of first-half stoppage time, Mbappe had his second, with Asensio turning provider. The former Real Madrid forward, dropping deep to link play this time, picked up the ball on the half-turn and sent the flying Frenchman away down the middle. A touch to his right opened up his body, and a scuffed effort into the far corner doubled Mbappe’s tally, and added a fourth strike to PSG’s.

Halfway through the second half, Duje Caleta-Car was denied at point-blank range by Donnarumma as the Southampton loanee powered a header at goal from a corner, and Nuamah was thwarted by the big Italian on the rebound as a penalty box melee ensued.

From the chaos arose a penalty for the hosts, as VAR intervened to award the spot-kick after Warren Zaire-Emery was adjudged to have felled Nicolas Tagliafico amidst the madness.

The penalty was converted by Tolisso, who made some amends for his earlier concession of a penalty at the opposite end, but the strike was nothing more than mere consolation on dark day for Lyon.

It can be quite easy to become complacent when you know you’re better than everyone else, but every time PSG play, they just don’t seem overly convincing. Sure, they will rip Ligue 1 sides to shreds with their quality in the attacking third, but even with their star-studded. multi-million Euro defensive unit, they look vulnerable. Lyon, as bad as they were, opened up the champions on a number of occasions, and were let in on others by some sloppy and suspect Paris passing. Enrique, the former Barcelona manager, is a perfectionist, and will not let any sort of sloppiness slide. When they play the big boys in the Champjons League, the true tests will come.

Mbappe got two, Donnarumma made saves, but Ugarte was the orchestra’s conductor, as Paris performed their trademark symphony.

Breaking up play, often on his own as Zaire-Emery and Vitinha, the two free eights, bombed forwards, the Uruguayan was the heartbeat of this new-look side, knitting the thirds together.

It was his early energy that won the penalty, hustling and harrying Tolisso, and his brilliant through pass that set Asensio away for the third goal.

A complete display from an exceptionally talented prospect.

Lyon: Lopes 6, Mata 5, C-Car 6, Diomande 5, Tagliafico 6, Tolisso 6, M-Niles 5, Cherki 6, Caqueret 5, Nuamah 6, Kadewere 5. Subs: Balde 7, Alvero 6, Jeffinho 6, Lepenant 6.

PSG: Donnarumma 8, Hakimi 7, Marquinhos 6, Skriniar 6, Hernandez 6, Z-Emery 6, Ugarte 8, Vitinha 6, Dembele 7, Asensio 7, Mbappe 8. Subs: Barcola 6, Ramos 6, Fabian 6, Ndour 6.

4′: PENALTY! Paris already have a spot-kick, and it’s a terrible pass from Lopes as Lyon try to play out. Tolisso is caught on the edge of the area, Ugarte nicks it, and the Frenchman brings down the Uruguayan. The worst start for the hosts. // 5′ GOAL! Kylian Mbappe steps up, and makes no mistake. He slots it down the middle nonchanently, via the knee of Lopes. 1-0 to the champions.

21′: GOAL! It’s two, and it’s Hakimi! It’s far too easy for Paris who slice through the Lyon defence like a hot knife through butter. Ugarte starts it in midfield, finding Dembele to the right. He sends a low cross in towards Mbappe, who is blocked well by Lopes, but Hakimi, the right-back, adds another body in the box and pokes home the rebound.

32′: GREAT SAVE! Sloppy play from Hernandez as a loose pass infield is cut out by Cherki who lets one fly from range, and Donnarumma acrobatically saves!

33′: OFF THE BAR! From the resulting corner, PSG break, three on two, Mbappe into Hakimi, who goes for goal but he strikes the crossbar when he really should’ve made it three!

35′: GOOD SAVE! Cherki teases a ball into the box once more as Tolisso chests it down and strikes, and Donnarumma gets down brilliantly to paw it away via a Marquinhos deflection off the knee!

39′: GOAL! It’s three, and it’s Marco Asensio! PSG work it wonderfully through the thirds. Skriniar finds Ugarte in too much space, and he slots it between the defenders for the onrushing Asensio to bear down on goal and strike beyond Lopes inside the near post.

45+2′: GOAL! It’s four, and it’s Mbappe at the double. Lopes is on the floor distraught. Paris turn the ball over all too easily in midfield, and Asensio sends the talismanic forward away through the middle. He moves it right, onto his stronger foot, and slots it expertly into the far corner. Big smile for Kylian, despair for Lopes.

72′: VAR CHECK They’re checking for a penalty from the corner melee, when Zaire-Emery fells Tagliafico near the goal line. The referee gives it! // 74′: GOAL! Tolisso sends the ‘keeper the wrong way, and he notches a consolation for the hosts.

18 – Lyon are bottom of Ligue 1 for the first time since Matchday 1 of the 1995/96 season. They have only 1 point after 4 matches; the lowest total in their history at this stage in the top flight.