Neymar in devastating form as PSG extend Ligue 1 lead
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Stade Rennes vs Paris St Germain - Roazhon Park, Rennes, France - December 16, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar in action REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
PARIS (Reuters) - Neymar scored two goals and set up two more as Paris St Germain extended their Ligue 1 lead to nine points with a 4-1 away demolition of Stade Rennais on Saturday.
Neymar struck both sides of the interval and assisted Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani to score, putting PSG on 47 points from 18 games after second-placed Monaco hammered St Etienne 4-0 on Friday at Geoffroy Guichard.
Rennes, who finished with 10 men after Benjamin Andre was sent off in the 63rd minute, replied through Firmin Mubele and stayed sixth on 25 points.
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Stade Rennes vs Paris St Germain - Roazhon Park, Rennes, France - December 16, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain’s Giovani Lo Celso in action with Stade Rennes' Adrien Hunou REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
Brazil forward Neymar quickly found the back of the net at Roazhon Park as he tapped in from Mbappe’s cross after only four minutes.
He returned the favour in the 17th minute by setting up Mbappe in the box, the French international doubling the tally from close range.
Eight minutes into the second half, Rennes reduced the arrears when Mubele finished it off after Morgan Amalfitano’s strike had struck the post.
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Stade Rennes vs Paris St Germain - Roazhon Park, Rennes, France - December 16, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar celebrates scoring with Kylian Mbappe REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
But the home side were heavily penalised when Andre picked up a second yellow card.
In the 75th minute, Uruguay striker Cavani collected Neymar’s through ball before beating Tomas Koubek to score his 18th league goal in as many games.
Neymar rounded it off one minute later by latching on to Mbappe’s cross.
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Stade Rennes vs Paris St Germain - Roazhon Park, Rennes, France - December 16, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; editing by Clare Fallon)
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Stade Rennes vs Paris St Germain - Roazhon Park, Rennes, France - December 16, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani celebrates REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Stade Rennes vs Paris St Germain - Roazhon Park, Rennes, France - December 16, 2017 Stade Rennes' Benjamin Andre in action REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Stade Rennes vs Paris St Germain - Roazhon Park, Rennes, France - December 16, 2017 Stade Rennes' Benjamin Bourigeaud takes a freekick REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Stade Rennes vs Paris St Germain - Roazhon Park, Rennes, France - December 16, 2017 Stade Rennes' James Edward Lea Siliki takes a freekick REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Stade Rennes vs Paris St Germain - Roazhon Park, Rennes, France - December 16, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe in action with Stade Rennes' Adrien Hunou REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Stade Rennes vs Paris St Germain - Roazhon Park, Rennes, France - December 16, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Stade Rennes vs Paris St Germain - Roazhon Park, Rennes, France - December 16, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain fans REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
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