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French champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) cruised to a comfortable 7-1 lead away to Ligue one contenders Lille. In a performance headlined by their attacking trio, the Parisians were too much to handle for Christoff Gaultier’s former side.
The scoring started in the first eight seconds. Lionel Messi laid out an assist to Kylian Mbappe, who opened the scoring by breaking the record for the fastest Ligue 1 goal in history.
Messi turned goalscorer from provider, netting their second goal in the 28th minute. It was a brilliant piece of intricate play between the Argentine and Nuno Mendes, with the former slotting in a fine goal.
Achraf Hakimi then got himself on the scoresheet after playing a quick one-two with Neymar. The former Barcelona man was not to be left out of the scoring as he eventually made it four on the cusp of half-time.
A thrilling second half for PSG
Lille hoped they would keep the score even or perhaps reduce the deficit. However, the unrelenting PSG side continued their ruthless performance in the second half.
Neymar continued to dominate proceedings in the second half as he opened the scoring with a goal in the 52nd minute, with Achraf Hakimi turning provider this time.
Lille would grab a consolation goal through Johnathan Bamba in the 54th minute. The winger got something for the home side but it was not enough as Neymar and co. continued to punish the hosts. The Brazilian got another assist to put Mbappe on a brace as well.
Mbappe then picked up a hat-trick on the night, with the service coming from Neymar. The Parisians controlled the entire game, and Mbappe’s 87th minute strike was the icing on the cake as they took home all three points in style.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five hits from the game.
#5 Marquinhos
The Parisians have long had a star defender in the Brazilian, and he delivered yet again when called upon against Lille. He was an effortless leader at the backline, putting a stop to any havoc the opponents intended to cause, while aiding his team's possession from the back.
While his role in Bamba's sole goal for Los Dogues could have been minimal on another night, the stalwart central defender did not put a foot wrong throughout the game. His top-notch defending at the back allowed his forwards to roam freely and drive the game in PSG's favor.
#4 Achraf Hakimi
The full-back has been a lethal source of goal contributions since he lit up Serie A with Inter, where he scored seven goals and laid out eight assists. The vibrant right-back has already entered into blistering form this campaign and has picked up three goal contributions in just three games.
Two of those contributions came against Lille, where he managed to finish off the game with one goal and one assist. While Hakimi was solid in defense for PSG, his main strengths were in attack, where he got into the final third on a regular basis.
#3 Lionel Messi
The Argentine forward has been nothing short of spectacular since the start of the season, and he continued his playmaking efforts against Lille as well. Messi was the key to the first goal, with his well-timed throughpass lifting over the defense for Mbappe to finish with aplomb.
The mercurial Barcelona legend may have had a sub-par debut season with PSG, which has seen him miss out on the Ballon d'Or rankings entirely. However, if his recent performances are any indication, Lionel Messi has reignited his old form at his new club. The star also scored a well-placed goal to add his name to the scoresheet.
#2 Neymar
The Selecao forward has been in scintillating form this campaign, and he's arguably enjoying one of his best ever starts to any season. Five goals and six assists in just three games has seen the star become one of the most indispensable players for PSG. His brace of goals and hat-trick of assists against Lille were also enough to ensure that the Parisians did not lack results in the final third.
WIth the World Cup set to take place in mere months, Neymar's current form with PSG will surely be key for Brazil. At club level, he's spearheading the attack selflessly and he will likely be at the top of the scoring and assist charts by the end of the season.
#1 Kylian Mbappe
The vibrant forward made history with his opening goal against Lille, where he managed to score in just eight seconds. Mbappe didn't relax on his laurels, but rather continued to perform admirably in every area, driving forward in an unstoppable manner to score another two goals.
The Parc des Princes starboy is one of the most exciting youngsters in world football, and his impressive hat-trick against Lille will only push his stock upward. Mbappe hasn't had a poor season with PSG, but this time around, he is looking like he might surpass his previous goalscoring record for the club.
