Mbappe scores in first match for PSG after World Cup

Kylian Mbappe marked his first appearance for Paris Saint- Germain since winning the World Cup by coming off the bench to score a late brace that gave the French champions a 3 – 1 victory at Guingamp on Saturday .Nolan Roux had given the home side the lead in the Brittany sunshine , and only a combination of Gianluigi Buffon and VAR prevented Thomas Tuchel’ s side from being further behind at half – time .

But Mbappe came on for the second half and Neymar equalised from the penalty spot soon after , before the 19 -year – old France starlet added two goals in the closing 10 minutes to secure the points .

It is now two wins from two in Ligue 1 this season for PSG under new coach Thomas Tuchel, after they swept aside Monaco 4 – 0 to win the campaign – opening Champions Trophy in China .
Once again the capital side were without a host of big names , including Edinson Cavani , the Uruguayan still not deemed fit to return after a calf injury suffered at the World Cup .

Mbappe started on the bench at the Stade du Roudourou along with two fellow French World Cup winners , goalkeeper Alphonse Areola and centre – back Presnel Kimpembe .

Instead , Tuchel again put faith in youth , just as he had done in last week ’ s 3 – 0 win over Caen . Timothy Weah , the 18 -year – old son of the great George Weah , was rewarded for his goal – scoring exploits off the bench in that game with a start here .

However , he was hauled off at the interval after a dreadful first – half performance from his side .

Buffon kept his team on level terms when he tipped a Roux effort onto the bar early on , but the veteran Italian goalkeeper could not prevent his team from falling behind 20 minutes in .

The goal came when Antoine Bernede’ s pass put his fellow teenager Colin Dagba in trouble — the full- back got caught in two minds and Marcus Coco intervened to play in Roux for his first goal for the club .

Paris were then grateful to the Video Assistant Referee for confirming on – field official Clement Turpin ’ s decision to disallow a second Guingamp goal in the 25 th minute .

Coco went round Buffon to set up Nicolas Benezet for the goal , but he was adjudged to have fouled Dagba just before making contact with the ball .

With Mbappe on the field , it was Neymar who levelled the scores with a 53 rd -minute penalty he himself had won .

That was the Brazilian ’ s second goal in as many games , but Mbappe ’ s performances at the World Cup hinted that he could steal more of the limelight from the world ’ s most expensive player this season .

In his first game since scoring in France ’ s 4 -2 final win over Croatia last month , Mbappe put PSG in front with eight minutes left after being set up by Angel Di Maria .

And he made sure of the points at the death with a delightful dink over Guingamp’ s Swedish goalkeeper Karl -Johan Johnsson , with Neymar this time providing the assist .

That goal even drew applause from the Guingamp fans , mindful of the youngster ’ s role in France ’ s glorious campaign in Russia .

( AFP )

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