PSG close in on French title as AC Ajaccio go down

PARIS : Paris St Germain edged closer to a record 11th French title when they beat AC Ajaccio 5-0 at home on Saturday, sending the Corsican side into Ligue 2 as Lionel Messi faced the wrath of the Parc des Princes.

Messi, who started after a club-imposed suspension for missing training last month, was booed by the fans before and during a one-sided encounter that took PSG to 81 points with three games left, thanks to goals by Fabian Ruiz, Achraf Hakimi, a double by Kylian Mbappe and Mohamed Youssouf's own goal.

Christophe Galtier's side lead second-placed RC Lens, who beat Stade de Reims on Friday 2-1 despite being down to 10 men, by six points. Third-placed Olympique de Marseille, who host bottom side Angers on Sunday, are five points behind Lens.

Ajaccio are 18th on 23 points, 11 points from 16th-placed AJ Auxerre. The last four clubs in the 20-team Ligue 1 will go down at the end of the season.

Both teams finished with 10 men after Hakimi and Ajaccio's Thomas Mangani were sent off late.