Lionel Messi scored one sublime goal and set up two more beauties for Kylian Mbappe as they ran out 3-0 winners in Corsica on Friday night against Ajaccio in Ligue 1. The French champions were clearly in control with Messi inevitably the star of the show.
Midway through the first half, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner set up his strike partner Kylian Mbappe to open the scoring and after being found with a perfectly-weighted through ball from Messi, Mbappe clinched the deal with a powerful finish past Ajaccio goalkeeper Benjamin Leroy.
The France World Cup winner then blew a massive opportunity to make it 2-0 to PSG when he somehow skyed the ball over the bar with an empty goal awaiting and it would take PSG until the 78th minute to get their second, which came in devastating fashion.
The move began in midfield as Messi played the ball out Juan Bernat on the right wing before receiving possession back from the Spaniard. The playmaker then exchanged a quick one-two with Mbappe, who backheeled the ball beautifully into the path of Messi and the Argentina international maintained his composure to round Leroy before finishing.
Three minutes later the visitors were 3-0 up when Messi again set up Mbappe to score his second of the night. Fans on social media were particularly struck by PSG’s second, which saw Messi and Mbappe combine brilliantly.
“Greatest to lace a pair of boots,” wrote one fan on Twitter.
“Messi with more g/a tonight than Ronaldo has all season,” joked another.
While another added: “We will never ever see another Messi. The greatest.”
Messi’s brilliant performance now has him at nine goals and nine assists from just 15 appearances in all competitions this season.
PSG are now six points clear of closest rivals Lorient at the top of Ligue 1 after Friday’s victory. Christophe Galtier’s side will now gear up to face Maccabi Haifa in the Champions League on Tuesday before returning to Ligue 1 action against Troyes on Saturday.