Mbappe gifted goal as Paris Saint-Germain beat Strasbourg

STRASBOURG: Kylian Mbappe had a penalty brilliantly saved but was gifted the opening goal as champions Paris Saint-Germain edged energetic Strasbourg 2-1 away in Ligue 1 on Friday.

PSG now have 47 points from 20 games with second placed Nice taking on third placed Brest Sunday on 38 and 35 points respectively.

“They pressed us high, we weren´t always precise enough, but we had a good match against an opponent who had a good dynamic and nothing to lose,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique.

Patrick Vieira´s Alsace club flew out of the blocks and Gianluigi Donnarumma stopped a shot with his shoulder inside the first minute.

And on his Ligue 1 debut for Strasbourg 22-year-old goalkeeper Alaa Bellaarouch saved Mbappe´s well-struck penalty in the fifth minute to leave the superstar striker holding his head.

Mbappe however took his 20th league goal of the campaign slamming the ball into a gaping goal after a panicked clearance from the rookie ´keeper. Mbappe then turned provider early in the second half with a deft centre clinically finished by Marco Asensio.

A youthful Strasbourg struck back when a cross found Dilane Bakwa alone at the far post and the 21-year-old forward´s cool flick left Donnarumma no chance.

Bakwa blazed a shot over the bar from a similar position ten minutes from time with PSG coach Luis Enrique looking concerned from the sidelines.