PARIS (AP) — Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain returned to the top of Ligue 1 on Saturday with a 3-2 win at last-place Metz that highlighted the strength of its flourishing youth academy.
Teenage forward Ibrahim Mbaye, who in September was taking a high school diploma exam, set up two goals. After coming through the PSG academy he made his Ligue 1 debut at the age of 16 years, 6 months, 23 days last season, making him the youngest PSG player to start a league game.
After Portugal striker Gonçalo Ramos put PSG ahead in the 31st minute, Mbaye set up 18-year-old Quentin Ndjantou — another player who came through PSG’s academy — with a cross from the left to make it 2-0 in 39th.
It was Ndjantou’s first goal for the club.
“Is this a big moment for me? Yes, absolutely. It’s my first goal, I’m very happy to have scored it,” Ndjantou said. “I thank the coach for having faith in me today.”
Metz midfielder Jessy Deminguet pulled one back just before halftime, before Mbaye’s pass sent 20-year-old Désiré Doué sprinting through on a counterattack from deep to score PSG’s third, midway through the second half.
Georgia midfielder Georgiy Tsitaichvili scored with a brilliant curling strike from the left past goalkeeper Matveï Safonov to make it 3-2 in the 81st and give Metz hope.
But PSG held on to move two points ahead of surprise front-runner Lens, which can reclaim the lead if it beats struggling Nice at home on Sunday.
In Sunday’s other games, third-place Marseille takes on Monaco and fourth-place Lille is at lowly Auxerre.
Lala lands Brest in trouble
Brest defender Kenny Lala made two big mistakes during a 3-1 loss at fifth-place Rennes.
Lala was at fault for the first two Rennes goals after Brest had taken an early lead through striker Mama Baldé.
Rennes replied with goals in quick succession from top scorer Estéban Lepaul and Jordan winger Mousa Al-Taamari.
They had Lala to thank.
On the first goal, the right back got the ball stuck in his feet and lost his balance, allowing Al-Taamari to break down the left and whip in a cross for Lepaul to slide the ball home in the 24th minute.
One minute later, Lala tried a first-time back pass on the halfway line and mistimed the waist-high ball completely, with Al-Taamari profiting to race clear and finish confidently.
Rennes added a third goal late on through 18-year-old striker Mohamed Kader Meïté, who turned in Quentin Merlin’s cross from the left.
Toulouse climbs up
Toulouse won 3-0 at Paris FC to move up to seventh spot.
Forwards Santiago Hidalgo and Yann Gboho scored in the first half and Gboho grabbed his second midway through the second half, after being set up by former France defender Djibril Sidibé.
Street fight
Rival fans from Metz and PSG fought in a brief street fight a few hours before the game.
Online images showed about 70-80 hooligans involved in a clash before riot police dispersed them with tear gas.
Nice in bad form
Nice is in complete disarray after losing eight straight games.
Nice’s form is so bad that it sits bottom of the 36-team Europa League group stage after losing all six games so far. ___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
