Neymar scores brace, Mbappe on target in PSG victory

Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi warms up before the French L1 football match between Paris-Saint Germain (PSG) and Montpellier Herault SC at The Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris on August 13, 2022. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)

Neymar continued his outstanding start to the season with a brace while Kylian Mbappe marked his return to the team with a goal but also had a penalty saved as Paris Saint-Germain trounced Montpellier 5-2 in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

Neymar rolled in a spot-kick to put PSG 2-0 up at the break on a hot night at the Parc des Princes after Falaye Sacko’s own goal had put them ahead.

The Brazilian then headed in his second and PSG’s third shortly after the interval, taking his tally for the season to five goals already after just three games.

Wahbi Khazri pulled one back for Montpellier before Mbappe made it 4-1 and new signing Renato Sanches came off the bench to get the fifth late on.

Enzo Tchato notched another consolation for the visitors at the death but PSG has now recorded three wins out of three this season under new coach Christophe Galtier, scoring 14 goals in the process.

Neymar has picked up where he left off last season when he scored nine in PSG’s final nine Ligue 1 matches.

So often plagued by fitness issues since arriving in Paris in 2017, he finally looks in rude health.

In contrast, Mbappe was playing his first competitive game since announcing on the final night of last season that he had agreed on a new three-year deal to stay at PSG, turning down a move to Real Madrid in the process.

– Mbappe ‘needs time‘ – The France superstar missed his club’s first two games of the new campaign –- a 4-0 defeat of Nantes in the season-opening Champions Trophy, and then the 5-0