Kylian Mbappe scored and Gianluigi Donnarumma saved a penalty as Paris Saint-Germain surged eight points clear at the top of Ligue 1 on Sunday with a 2-0 victory over last season’s runners-up Lens.The hosts missed a penalty, gave away a red card and almost helped the club from the capital walk away with three points. Will they ever stop doing stuff like that?!Bradley Barcola gave PSG the lead with his second goal for the French champions after Donnarumma had kept out an early spot-kick from Przemyslaw Frankowski at the Stade Bollaert.Lens are a far cry from the team that finished a point behind PSG last term, but their home form remains strong and they had an 11-match unbeaten run snapped just before the winter break.FT: Lens 0-2 Paris Saint-Germain.PSG go 8 points clear on top of the league. pic.twitter.com/Og5WUMSC4b— 𝐀𝐅𝐂 𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐗 💎 (@TheEuropeanLad) January 14, 2024 However their hopes of fighting back suffered a critical blow when Jonathan Gradit was sent off late in the first half following a VAR review for bringing down Barcola as the last defender.With the focus intensifying on Mbappe and his future plans, Lens had the chance to strike first as Danilo fouled Elye Wahi inside the area after just five minutes.Frankowski drilled his kick right down the middle but the giant Donnarumma stayed put and blocked the ball with his knees.The Italy goalkeeper then batted away a shot from Wahi before excellent defensive work from Danilo helped spring Mbappe to set up Barcola.Mbappe strode forward and waited patiently to slip Barcola in behind the Lens defence, the young winger clipping an unerring finish past Brice Samba from a tricky angle.##NAJAVA_MECA_7796227##Gradit’s red card only added to the challenge for Lens, who threatened intermittently in the second half without unduly troubling Donnarumma.Mbappe put the result beyond doubt in the 89th minute, running onto a pass from Ousmane Dembele and driving low beyond Samba into the far corner.PSG are eight points clear of Nice, who lost 2-0 at Rennes on Saturday. Brest are another point adrift, while Monaco dropped to fourth after going down 3-1 at home to Reims.LIGUE 1 – MATCHDAY 18Friday Marseille – Strasbourg 1-1 (1-0)/Gigot 2 – Sebas 90+1/SaturdayMonaco – Reims 1-3 (0-1)/Ben Yedder 49 – Teuma 35, Khadra 55, Matusiwa 90+4/Rennes – Nice 2-0 (1-0)/Bourigeaud 31 pen, Kalimuendo 54/Sunday Lille – Lorient 3-0 (1-0)/David 37, Cabella 30, Zhergrova 90+2/Brest – Montpellier 2-0 (0-0)/Magnetti 48, Le Douaron 90+1/Metz – Toulouse 0-1 (0-1)/Sierro 12 pen/Nantes – Clermont 1-2 (0-1)/Mollet 47 – Nicholson 29, Allevinah 89/Le Havre – Lyon 3-1 (1-0)/Lloris 18, Sabbi 50, Operi 62 – Lacazette 54/Lens – PSG 0-2 (0-1)/Barcola 30, Mbappe 89/
