• Dhaka Friday, 01 Nov, 2024

Mbappe hat-trick takes PSG top of Ligue 1

November 12, 2023, 04:32 PM

Mbappe hat-trick takes PSG top of Ligue 1

Staff Reporter

A clinical Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain won 3-0 away at high-flying Reims on Saturday to move to the top of the Ligue 1 table, although coach Luis Enrique was still not satisfied with the France captain‍‍`s performance.

Mbappe opened the scoring in the third minute in Champagne country and then netted twice more in the second half to give PSG a win which moved the reigning champions to the summit a point above Nice, who drew at Montpellier on Friday, AFP reports.

PSG were also grateful to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma who denied Reims a route back into the game with a string of superb saves, as Luis Enrique‍‍`s team recovered from their midweek Champions League loss away to AC Milan.

Mbappe is Ligue 1‍‍`s leading scorer with 13 goals in 11 appearances this season, with the France captain also having netted twice in European competition.

Yet his coach was not entirely delighted with his superstar‍‍`s display.

"We know Kylian Mbappe‍‍`s worth, but he can do better. I want even more from him," the Spaniard said.

"He is one of the world‍‍`s best players, but he still has a lot of room to get better. I don‍‍`t want him to rest on his laurels."

Mbappe had earlier indicated that he was not completely pleased with his own game as he spoke to broadcaster Amazon Prime.

"In all modesty I don‍‍`t need to be playing well to score goals, but I want to do both, score goals and play well. That is my objective, to always help the team as well as I can," Mbappe said.

Asked about bouncing back from the setback in Milan, Mbappe added: "It is a different competition and all we wanted to do was win. Nice drew and we wanted to take top spot. It‍‍`s job done and we are happy with that.

"We will have time to think about the Champions League but Ligue 1 is a different competition and that means a different mindset and a different way of playing."

That 2-1 defeat in Milan on Tuesday left PSG‍‍`s hopes of reaching the Champions League knockout phase in the balance with two group games still to go, but they do finally appear to have found their rhythm domestically after a stuttering start to the campaign.