Angers 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain: 5 talking points as routine win puts PSG on the brink of the league title | Ligue 1 2021-22
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) eased past Angers in their Ligue 1 fixture on Wednesday night, April 20. Goals from Kylian Mbappe, Sergio Ramos, and Marquinhos helped them to a 3-0 win.
The capital club have a 15-point lead at the top of the standings and have all but clinched the league title. With five games to go, Marseille will have to win all of their remaining games and hope PSG lose theirs.
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Madness of 16 goals in the last five games of Round 33!
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Mbappe, the usual suspect, gave PSG a lead in the 28th minute with a low, driven strike. Lady luck shone on them early on in the game as Sofiane Boufal was stretchered off the pitch in the 14th minute of the game.
The hosts offered threat every now and then but failed to convert their chances. They hit the crossbar once and also had a penalty overruled by VAR.
PSG secured an easy win without the likes of Lionel Messi and Marco Verratti (unavailable due to injuries) as well as Neymar (out with suspension). Let's take a look at the five talking points from the game.
#5 Angel Di Maria steps up in absence of heavyweights
Angel Di Maria's attacking output took a hit this season, with Lionel Messi becoming the leading assist provider for the club since joining the club last summer.
In the game against Angers, Messi and Neymar were both unavailable and Di Maria filled the void perfectly. The left-footed winger was the creative force for his team in the game and finished the match with six key passes, twice as many as any other player on the pitch.
200 - Angel Di Maria has now been involved in 200 goals in all competitions with Paris in 290 matches (90 goals, 110 assists). Fideo. #SCOPSG https://t.co/lXZx3y36Nd
He picked up two well-weighted assists in the game as well, with both goals scored in almost identical fashion by Marquinhos and Sergio Ramos.
#4 PSG extend their undefeated run against the hosts
PSG made quick work of 14th-placed Angers on Wednesday. They dominated the proceedings from the get-go and were the better side throughout the game. They maintained 58% possession and also recorded eight shots on target, with the hosts only hitting the target on one occasion.
This was the 14th consecutive win for Les Parisiens against their western rivals. Angers are without a win against the visitors across all competitions since their 3-2 win at home in 1975.
They looked solid on the break and caught out the league leaders with their pace on a few occasions. But it was not enough for them to score their first goal at home since 2019 against the Parisians.
#3 PSG's victory marred by a late and unfortunate red card
The match officials had a good day at the office and most of their decisions in the game were spot on. VAR rightly overturned a penalty decision in the second-half following a sliding challenge from Thilo Kehrer. But the VAR got a decision wrong in injury time.
Edouard Michut, who came on as a substitute in the 72nd minute, attempted a challenge in injury time from behind. On the follow-up, he ended up taking out Romain Thomas.
There were too many players in and around at the time and there was nothing the 19-year-old could've done to avoid slipping right onto his opponent's shin. Mauricio Pochettino said, after the game, that it was too harsh and the club will be appealing to overturn it.
#2 Kylian Mbappe can't stop scoring at the moment
Kylian Mbappe has been in great touch this season and is on track to secure a fourth consecutive top-scorer's award in the French top-flight. He has 22 goals to his name and, with five games still left to play this campaign, he will be hoping to, at least, match his tally of 27 goals from last season.
He has found the back of the net in the last four league outings for the club, scoring seven goals in that period. The Frenchman is yet to agree to a new contract with the club and any potential buyers will be salivating at his rich goalscoring form.
#1 Marseille spoil PSG's party as they keep themselves in title race, at least on paper
PSG did their part and secured a win against Angers as they took one more step towards regaining the Ligue 1 title this season. They had to count on second-placed Marseille to drop points in their game but their arch-rivals secured a 3-2 win against Nantes.
With that win, Marseille are still in the title race, as they trail the capital club by 15 points with five games left to play. We all know that the odds of Pochettino's men losing five games in a row are infinitesimally low, almost as low as Marseille making it five wins in a row.
While PSG have won the title in spirit, they will have to wait for another couple of days before they can be actually crowned the league winners for a record-equalling 10th time.