PSG 3-1 Metz: Kylian Mbappe celebrates birthday with a brace as hosts consolidate top spot

Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe scored twice to help the Ligue 1 leaders beat Metz 3-1 at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday, allowing them to keep their five-point lead at the top of the table.

PSG leads the table with 40 points from 17 games, five points ahead of second-placed Nice and seven points ahead of third-placed AS Monaco.

The first half was uneventful and lacked quality chances for either side, though the Parisians avoided conceding an own goal when defender Danilo Pereira's header bounced off the post.

Vitinha scored with his first touch to put the hosts ahead early in the second half, before Mbappe doubled the lead on the hour mark with a stunning shot from the edge of the box as the France forward celebrated his 25th birthday.

Metz captain Matthieu Udol pulled one back with a towering header off the inside of the post following a corner, before Mbappe made it 3-1 by capitalizing on a mistake by the visitors' defence.

PSG will play Lens in Ligue 1 on January 14, after facing French Cup winners Toulouse in the Trophee des Champions on January 3 and a cup match at Revel four days later.

Nice maintained second place with a 2-0 win over seventh-placed Lens, thanks to two quick goals in the second half from forward Terem Moffi, including a penalty.

Third-placed Monaco came from behind to beat lowly Toulouse 2-1, but they were reduced to 10 men six minutes into the second half when midfielder Aleksandr Golovin was sent off for a dangerous tackle.

Strasbourg ended Lille's 10-match unbeaten streak with a 2-1 home win in a game in which both teams scored an own goal.

Lille fell to fifth place in the standings with 28 points. Brest moved up to fourth after a 4-0 thrashing of lowly Lorient, with all goals scored by midfielder Kamory Doumbia in the first half.

The 20-year-old Mali international became only the second player in the last 60 years to score four goals in the first half of a Ligue 1 match, following Edinson Cavani's feat in September 2016 with Paris against Caen.

SportsLigue