Messi-less PSG maintain a perfect start thanks to Hakimi

Achraf Hakimi’s dramatic injury-time winner rescued Paris Saint-Germain a 2-1 victory at bottom club Metz on Wednesday as the capital giants maintained their 100 percent start to the Ligue 1 season despite the absence of the injured Lionel Messi.Moroccan full-back Hakimi, a 60-million-euro signing from Inter Milan this year, gave PSG a fifth-minute lead before Kiki Kouyate’s equaliser.But a chaotic climax to the match saw Metz reduced to 10 men and have their coach Frederic Antonetti sent to the stands before Hakimi’s 94th-minute strike.”The team fight to the end and never admit defeat, they have this ability to surpass themselves, with character, and the reward came at the end,” said PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino.The highlights of Metz – PSG (2-1) Relive #𝐅𝐂𝐌𝐏𝐒𝐆 in full with your subscription to https://t.co/dFgkIgQkPN Premium 📺 👇 pic.twitter.com/7XSxpX7I9p— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) September 22, 2021 PSG went into the new season as red-hot favourites to regain their French title after a raft of close-season signings, including six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi.The former Barcelona icon was absent with a knee injury and Pochettino’s men struggled against winless Metz.But PSG extended their early advantage at the top of the table to seven points over rivals Marseille – who drew 0-0 at third-placed Angers – after a seventh victory from as many league games.Hakimi pounced early on but PSG were far from their best and Kouyate headed home from a corner six minutes before the break.Visiting goalkeeper Keylor Navas had to make a good save to deny Lamine Gueye a goal on the stroke of half-time, while Metz appeals for a penalty for handball against Hakimi early in the second period were turned down.Sat, 25/9, 22.00: (1.20) PSG (8.00) MONTPELLIER (14.00)The real drama came after the clock had ticked past the 90 minutes, though, as Metz defender Dylan Bronn was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away.Coach Antonetti was then promptly dismissed. But it was not all from Antonetti. He told after the match that Mbappe needs to add a dose of humility to his undoubted talents in front of goal “if he wants to be loved”.”Kylian Mbappe needs to behave better if he wants to be loved,” said Antonetti.”I love this player, he is very, very strong but he’d benefit from having a more humble side.”Une séquence de 20 secondes mémorable. #Mbappé qui vient chambrer, le gardien messin qui joue les durs et qui tombe au premier courant d’air… Et pour finir l’apparition d’un mec torse nu tombé du ciel 😂#PSG #FCMPSG pic.twitter.com/inoh7FEv7L— Nicolas Puiravau (@nikop17) September 22, 2021 Antonetti was responding to a question on the yellow card handed to his goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja who confronted Mbappe over his celebration when the winning goal was scored.”In the game, Mbappe was non-existent,” said Antonetti.PSG made the most of their brief man advantage as Hakimi latched onto Neymar’s excellent pass, cut inside and fired into the bottom corner left-footed.Paris, champions in seven of the last nine seasons, celebrated wildly, with Neymar booked in the aftermath.LIGUE 1 – Round 7WednesdayLille – Reims 2-1 (2-0)/David 31, Andre 43 – Flips 74 pen/Monaco – Saint-Etienne 3-1 (1-1)/Volland 27, Ben Yedder 62 pen, 86 – Bouanga 41/Montpellier – Bordeaux 3-3 (1-2)/Germain 11, 50, Mollet 71 – Ui-Jo 18, Onana 29, Kalu 85/Nantes – Brest 3-1 (1-0)/Blas 27, Chrivella 55, Brassier 58 og – Le Douaron 57/Rennes – Clermont 6-0 (2-0)/Martin 32, Terrier 36, Sulemana 55, 57, Laborde 64, Tait 77/Angers – Marseille 0-0Lens – Strasbourg 0-1 (0-0)/Ajorque 67/Lorient – Nice 1-0 (1-0)/Monconduit 23/Lyon – Troyes 3-1 (0-1)/Xhaqiri 48, Emerson 72, Paqueta 87 – Chavalerin 45/Metz – Paris Saint-Germain 1-2 (1-1)/Kouyate 39 – Hakimi 5, 90+4/

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