'Perfect' PSG beat Auxerre 5-0 in last match before World Cup

PARIS: Leaders Paris St Germain crushed Auxerre 5-0 with four second-half goals in Ligue 1 on Sunday (Nov 13) to go into the mid-season World Cup break with a five-point lead over second-placed Lens.

PSG are still unbeaten in the league and lead the standings on 41 points from 15 games ahead of Lens on 36, with Stade Rennais a further five points adrift.

Although PSG scored only once before the break, they were in complete control from start to finish without having to exert too much energy, with players set to join their national teams for the World Cup which kicks off in Qatar next Sunday.

"The afternoon was perfect. I can't even say 'almost perfect', it was perfect," PSG boss Christophe Galtier told Prime Video.

"We only conceded one chance, we played a serious match. Everyone wanted to play this match, no one was particularly worried about the World Cup."

PSG took an early lead through Kylian Mbappe after Lionel Messi found Nuno Mendes with a lob and the wing back's cutback was fired home by the Frenchman who became the league's outright top scorer so far this season with his 12th goal.

PSG and dominated possession but failed to score a second before the break while the visitors' best chance fell to Senegalese striker M'Baye Niang, whose shot was blocked well by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The home side's second goal was headed home by Spanish midfielder Carlos Soler in the 56th minute. Mendes was the architect as he went on a mazy run into the box, dribbling past three players before looping in an inviting cross for Soler.

Auxerre pressed forward to try to reduce the deficit and PSG duly punished their high line when Achraf Hakimi was released on goal by Soler, with the Moroccan outpacing the last defender and slipping