Messi scores on return as PSG extend lead

PARIS: Lionel Messi celebrated his return to competition after the World Cup by scoring a second-half goal as Paris St Germain extended their Ligue 1 lead to six points with a 2-0 home win over Angers on Wednesday.

Messi had been rested for PSG’s first three matches following the long break in the season caused by the World Cup but he returned to training in Paris a week ago and was back in the starting line-up for this game against Ligue 1’s bottom side.

Messi netted from close range in the 72nd minute to add to Hugo Ekitike’s first-half opener, putting PSG on 47 points from 18 games.

Ekitike made the most of another appearance when he latched onto a cross from Nordi Mukiele to put the hosts ahead.

Mukiele was again involved after the break as he played Messi through for the Argentine forward to find the back of the net with a right-foot effort from close range.

Messi was flagged offside but the goal was eventually allowed following a VAR review.

Elsewhere, RC Lens sta­yed second but dropped two points in a 2-2 draw at Racing Strasbourg with all the goals coming before the break.

Lens fell 2-1 behind after Alexis Claude-Maurice’s 11th-minute opener was cancelled out by Sanjin Prcic and Kevin Gameiro in the 13th and 16th minutes in a hectic start to the game.

Lois Openda equalised in the 33rd with a powerful header but Lens were unable to add a third.

Third-placed Olympique de Marseille are now two points adrift of Lens on 39 points after a 2-0 win over Troyes.

Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba and Jordan Veretout’s goals earned them all three points.

Nice crushed visiting Montpellier 6-1 and Olympique Lyonnais’s poor season continued with a 0-0 draw at Nantes.

Lille drew 0-0 away at Brest, while there were also wins for Toulouse and Ajaccio.