Neymar on target twice as Paris St Germain continue winning streak

Posted Sunday, September 30, 2018 by PA

Neymar scored twice as Paris St Germain made it eight wins from as many Ligue 1 matches this season with a 3-0 victory at Nice.

PSG were already firmly in control thanks to goals from Neymar and Christopher Nkunku before Wylan Cyprien’s 59th minute red card made things even easier for the champions.

Neymar struck again in injury time to extend the leaders’ advantage at the top of the table to nine points.

PSG should have taken the lead after 11 minutes but Angel Di Maria’s shot struck a post, while Marquinhos failed to score shortly afterwards following a goalmouth scramble.

The visitors did not have to wait long to make the breakthrough, though. It came after 22 minutes when Neymar, who was excellent throughout at the Allianz Riviera, scored with a lovely curling strike from 25 yards out.

The Brazilian thought he had scored again as half-time approached but his effort did not count as Kylian Mbappe had wandered into an offside position.

PSG did double their advantage right at the start of the second half. Malang Sarr did well to block Mbappe’s shot but Nkunku was on hand to turn in the rebound.

Any hopes of an unlikely Nice comeback were extinguished in the 59th minute when first-half substitute Cyprien was shown his second yellow card of the match and sent off for appearing to swing an arm at Neymar.

PSG saw another goal disallowed, this time it was Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, as Thomas Tuchel’s team tried to make their numerical advantage count, but it took them until injury time to get the third goal.

Neymar rounded off an impressive individual display with his second goal of the game, slotting the ball home after being set up by Mbappe.

It added a bit of gloss to an eighth straight league win for PSG. It is the first time the Paris giants have won their first eight Ligue 1 games of the season. Monaco – in 1960/61 – were the last team to achieve the feat.