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Lionel Messi's first Ligue 1 goal helped Paris Saint-Germain beat Nantes 3-1 at the Parc des Princes. PSG held on to the win despite Keylor Navas getting sent off in the second half.
Mauricio Pochettino's side started in scintillating fashion with Kylian Mbappe scoring the opener just two minutes into the game. Neither side managed to get a hold of the game thereafter, and the first half ended with Nantes trailing a slender 1-0 lead.
The second half was much of a similar story, with both sides struggling to instill their dominance in the game. However, Nantes' hopes of snatching an unlikely result were boosted in the second half. Navas raced off his line to deal with a ball in behind. But he misjudged the bounce and was sent off after catching Ludovic Blas with a trailing leg.
Nantes then equalized just 11 minutes later as substitute goalie Sergio Rico spilled a Kolo Muani effort and failed to deal with the resulting rebound. However, Paris' lead was restored just five minutes later. Dennis Appiah scored a dreadfully comedic own goal at the other end of the pitch.
Nantes thereafter kept on pushing for a second equalizer but Lionel Messi wrapped up the victory with his first Ligue 1 goal for PSG. He scored with a trademark left-footed curler three minutes from fulltime.
On that note, let's have a look at
PSG player's ratings against Nantes
Keylor Navas - 4/10
Navas had an excellent game up until his dreadful challenge on Ludovic Blas which yielded him a red card. The goalkeeper made three crucial saves to deny Nantes their way back into the game. But he certainly left his team in a rather unwanted situation with his mistake.
Achraf Hakimi - 7.5/10
Hakimi was brilliant in both attack and defense. He used his blistering pace to full effect, running up and down the right flank throughout the game. He made a couple of good tackles and interceptions in defense whilst also joining the attack at every possible opportunity.
Thilo Kehrer - 5/10
Kehrer struggled to instill his authority into the game. The centre-back looked good with the ball at his feet and helped PSG progress the ball out from the back. But with eight out of nine duels lost, three interceptions and zero tackles in total, it's fair to say he had a very underwhelming game.
Abdou Diallo - 7/10
Diallo was composed on the ball, and colossal off it. He was vocal in organizing his defense and showcased some excellent buildup plays. The centre-half was calm and composed at the back and dealt with Nantes' attack well.
Juan Bernat - 7/10
Bernat was extremely solid throughout the 90 minutes. He showcased excellent defensive guile and kept Nantes' attackers at bay throughout the game. The fullback completed 94% of his passes and made four defensive interventions for his side.
Marco Verratti - 8/10
Verratti showcased an adept reading of the game and kept the play ticking with neat and accurate passes. He was calm with the ball at his feet, and aggressive without it. He completed two tackles, a key pass and 86 accurate passes throughout his time on the pitch.
Idrissa Gueye - 7/10
Highly effective and intelligent in his positioning and cleanup play, Gueye also made a few good driving runs through the middle. He linked up well with his midfield partners and the forward line throughout the game. He completed six tackles, an interception, and managed 77 accurate passes for the Parisiens.
Leandro Parades - 8/10
Parades showed great intensity and drive right from the start. He assisted Mbappe for the first goal and was pivotal to everything PSG conjured up on Saturday. The midfielder was intelligent with his passing and movement throughout the game. He completed an astonising 99% of his passes.
Neymar - 7/10
Neymar put up a diligent performance, linking up well with other forwards at times. He was outstanding with his passing and runs, but the end product was missing. Unfortunate to be hooked off for Sergio Rico in the aftermath of Keylor Navas' red card.
Lionel Messi - 8/10
After a rare goalless run of form, Messi finally scored his maiden Ligue 1 goal for PSG. He curled in an impressive effort past Alban Lafont in the final minutes of the game. Apart from the goal, he looked dangerous with the ball and caused all sorts of problems for the Nantes defense throughout the game.
Kylian Mbappe - 8/10
A perfect performance for the man in form. Mbappe put up a dynamic first-half performance, scoring the opener just two minutes into the game. The Frenchman also provided an assist for PSG's third in the dying stages of the game.
Substitutes
Sergio Rico - 5/10
Rico came on as a 68th-minute substitute for Neymar in the aftermath of Keylor Navas' red card, and he didn't cover himself in glory either. He was particularly guilty for Nantes' only goal of the game.
Georginio Wijnaldum - 6/10
Wijnaldum came on as a 75th minute substitute for Verratti. He looked good with the ball and made a few good driving runs down the middle, but there was nothing more to write home about.
Danilo Pereira - N/A
Coming on as a 89th minute substitute, Pereira didn't play long enough to be rated.
