Neymar nets stunning brace and Kylian Mbappe scores as PSG overcome Bordeaux in Ligue 1 clash

It was the Neymar and Kylian Mbappe show in Bordeaux as Paris Saint-Germain won 3-2 at the Matmut Atlantique.

The league leaders showed glimpses of their best football as they took a 3-0 lead and seemed to be cruising to victory.

But two late goals from Bordeaux made the conclusion far more tense than it needed to be and added to the feeling of unrest around the Paris club.

Mbappe’s brilliant floated pass picked out Neymar to cut inside and score the opener after 26 minutes in a moment of quality from the two biggest names on the pitch.

And the pair produced an even more sublime goal to put PSG two up, with a one-two and an Mbappe back-heel setting up the Brazilian for his second of the game.

The Parisian visitors settled in after the break and bagged the third when Gigi Wijnaldum squared for Mbappe to slide into an empty net as Bordeaux were punished for throwing too many numbers forward.

But a spot of complacency did make the end of the match more nervy than it should have been, with Alberth Elis pulling a goal back with 11 minutes remaining to give the league leaders something to think about.

And another late goal from M’Baye Niang showed just how fragile PSG’s lead was, with the home side ending the match wondering what might have been.

The result, PSG’s 11th league win of the season, puts Mauricio Pochettino’s side 10 points clear at the top of Ligue 1.

PSG were outstanding in patches, but there were some reasons for concern, particularly in the second half. The showboating started not long after the break, with the score only 2-0, and it was that sort of attitude that seeped right through the team once they’d got the third. All it took from Bordeaux was one goal back to change the feel of the game, and a better team would have completed the comeback.

The Brazilian flitted in and out of the game at times, but when he turned it on he looked the best player on the pitch by a distance. Neymar in this sort of form could, and probably should, have bagged himself a hat-trick.

Bordeaux: Costil 7; Pembélé 7, Kwateng 6, Koscielny 6, Gregersen 7, Mangas 7; Onana 6, Otávio 6, Adli 7; Dilrosun 6, Elis 7. Subs: Mensah 6, Oudin 6, Briand 7, Niang 7, Fransergio 6

PSG: Keylor Navas 5; Hakimi 6, Kehrer 7, Marquinhos 7, Bernat 6; Dina-Ebimbe 6, Ander Herrera 6; Wijnaldum 7, Draxler 6, Neymar 8; Mbappé 7. Subs: Pereira 6, Mendes 6, Gueye 6, Icardi 6

26’ GOAL! – What a lovely goal that is. Mbappe picks out Neymar with a deep floated cross and the Brazilian takes it down, cuts inside onto his right, and hammers a finish underneath the keeper. 1-0.

36’ – Mbappe is denied by a terrific save as the Frenchman links up brilliantly with Neymar again to carve Bordeaux open. The famous strike pairing are ticking and it’s great to watch.

43’ GOAL! – Oh these two, stop it. Neymar and Mbappe link up with the cheekiest of one-twos on the edge of the box, with Mbappe’s back-heel finding the Brazilian to slot into the bottom corner. 2-0. Pure class.

63’ GOAL! – It’s 3-0 and a peach of a goal for Paris Saint-Germain. Wijnaldum’s run is picked out by a scything through-ball and he’s clean through, but shows his selflessness to square it to the unmarked Mbappe to roll home. 3-0.

78’ GOAL! – Elis scores for Bordeaux and they deserve that! PSG tried to play it out from their own area, lost it, and Adli found Elis at the back stick. 3-1.

80 – What is going on? Bordeaux throw bodies forward and Navas makes a crucial reaction save to deny Briand, who’s only just come on. That was very close to 3-2. Very close.

90’ GOAL! – Surely not!? Bordeaux pull another back as a move the whole length of the pitch ends with Briand finding Niang, who pokes home to make it 3-2.

Neymar has received ten assists in Ligue 1 from Mbappe since arriving at the club. That total is seven more assists than from any other PSG player.