The Japan Times - Mbappe on target as PSG ease past Strasbourg

Mbappe opened the scoring with a 10th-minute penalty and then set up Carlos Soler to make it 2-0 just after the half-hour mark at a wet and windy Parc des Princes.

The reigning champions were heading for a routine victory and they added a third in the 77th minute courtesy of Fabian Ruiz.

It was a second straight win for PSG following their 4-1 defeat away to Newcastle United in the Champions League earlier this month, and the result moved them provisionally to the top of the Ligue 1 table after nine games.

The Qatar-owned club are a point clear of Monaco and two ahead of Nice, who face Marseille later on Saturday.

PSG coach Luis Enrique rested several regular starters with this game coming immediately after the international break and ahead of a key Champions League meeting with AC Milan.

Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembele were among those to be rested at kick-off, while Soler and Ruiz came in along with Danilo Pereira, Bradley Barcola and Lee Kang-in.

South Korean international Lee was making his first appearance for PSG in over a month, having helped his country win football gold at the Asian Games in the meantime.

However, there was no question of Mbappe being rested, despite him having started both of France's recent matches, scoring in wins over the Netherlands and Scotland.

He opened the scoring from the penalty spot in front of the empty Auteuil end of PSG's stadium, closed by the French league for this encounter as a punishment after homophobic chanting during a win over Marseille last month.

The penalty was awarded for a foul on Goncalo Ramos following great link-up play between Mbappe and Barcola, and it looked like a long way back for Strasbourg already.

Vieira's young team, featuring five outfield starters aged 22 or under, briefly thought they had equalised moments later when South African striker Lebo Mothiba headed in, but the goal was disallowed for offside following a VAR check.

Instead PSG doubled their lead on 31 minutes following an electric piece of play from Mbappe, who produced a step-over to beat his marker before cutting the ball back from the byline for Soler to prod in.

It was Soler who set up the third goal late on for his fellow Spaniard Ruiz, who collected the ball in the box and skipped away from Strasbourg's Gerzino Nyamsi before finishing.

There had been a brief scare for PSG shortly before that when Mbappe went down needing treatment after Nyamsi appeared to tread on his left foot, but the France captain was able to carry on.

This was a third straight loss for Strasbourg, with the club who were recently bought by Chelsea's owners BlueCo struggling for goals and having won just once in six games now.

H.Nakamura--JT