PARIS: The unstoppable Kylian Mbappe hit a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a 6-2 win away to Montpellier on Sunday to open up a massive 12-point lead at the top of Ligue 1.
Vitinha put PSG ahead at the Stade de la Mosson and Mbappe doubled their advantage midway through the first half, only for Arnaud Nordin’s header and Teji Savanier’s penalty to bring Montpellier back level after the break.
However, Mbappe’s wonder goal restored PSG’s lead shortly after the break and Lee Kang-in made it 4-2 before the France captain completed his hat-trick.
Nuno Mendes sealed victory late on as Luis Enrique’s side ended a run of three consecutive Ligue 1 draws and extended an unbeaten home record stretching back to September.
A 1-1 draw for nearest challengers Brest against Lille means the Parisians are 12 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 with just eight games remaining and a 10th title in 12 seasons inevitable.
Mbappe completed the full 90 minutes of a Ligue 1 match for the first time since informing the club in mid-February that he intended to leave at the end of the season when his contract expires.
His hat-trick, his third of the campaign, took him to 24 goals in Ligue 1 this season and 38 in all competitions.
Mbappe’s second of the night, PSG’s third, was the best choice as he found the net with a superb long-range shot that went under the crossbar.
“Mbappe has been exceptional. We have to make the most of having him as much as we can and when we stop enjoying him we will have to raise our game,” said Luis Enrique.
The downside to their performance was the way they surrendered a 2-0 first-half lead when they were awarded a penalty when Tanguy Coulibaly pounced on Danilo Pereira’s short back pass before being knocked down by PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
After defeating Montpellier, they are just a point above third-bottom Nantes, who are in the relegation play-offs and sacked coach Jocelyn Gourvennec on Sunday.
Canadian forward Jonathan David continued his fine form in front of goal as he scored for Lille in a draw against fellow Champions League contenders Brest.
David put Lille ahead midway through the second half in Brittany with his 22nd goal of the season in all competitions and 15th since the turn of the calendar year.
The 24-year-old has scored 10 goals in his side’s last nine Ligue 1 games. His total of 15 in Ligue 1 this season has only been surpassed by Mbappe.
However, that goal was not enough to win the match as Uruguayan forward Martin Satriano fired in a late equalizer for Brest, who stayed second.
Monaco could have climbed above Brest with a win at home to Lorient but were held to a 2-2 draw after Tiemoue Bakayoko equalized for the principality’s opposition in the 95th minute.
Monaco remain third, three points above Lille, who took fourth from Nice, who won 3-1 at Lens on Saturday.
The top three in Ligue 1 advance directly to next season’s Champions League, with the fourth entering the competition in the third preliminary round.
Rennes boosted their European qualification hopes with a 2-0 win at home to Marseille as Martin Terrier gave the hosts a first-half lead and Benjamin Bourigeaud added a late penalty.
Both sides are now three points adrift of the final European qualification spot.
Japan star Junya Ito fired in a superb strike in the 79th minute to give Reims a 2-1 win over Metz that keeps his club in the European picture.
Oumar Diakite put Reims in front early on, but Arthur Atta equalized before a decisive goal from Ito, who was left out of the Japan squad to face North Korea in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Ito pulled out of the Asian Cup last month after Japanese police said he was being investigated for an alleged sexual assault in Osaka last year.
The player denies the allegations and is suing his accusers for damages.
Reims coach Will Still described the 31-year-old winger as “mentally strong and true to himself”.
Bottom side Clermont kept their outside survival hopes alive by beating Le Havre 2-1 with a brace from Muhammed Cham.
