Mbappe, Asensio on target as PSG survive Strasbourg fightback
The hosts’ confidence was understandably high from the off, and they should have gone in front inside 40 seconds when Moise Sahi fashioned space for himself but was denied at point-blank range by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
At the other end, a rash Lucas Perrin challenge a few minutes later on Randal Kolo Muani then presented Luis Enrique’s men with the opportunity to open the scoring from the spot. However, the returning Mbappe saw his effort superbly tipped over by Alaa Bellaarouch, who was making his top-flight debut after first-choice goalkeeper Matz Sels had been sold the day before.
No doubt buoyed by that moment, Strasbourg rattled the woodwork through Habib Diarra, but they fell behind just after the half-hour mark as an attempted Bellaarouch pass was cut out by Marco Asensio, with Mbappe gleefully sweeping the loose ball into an unguarded net.
Heading towards half time, Kolo Muani should perhaps have doubled his side’s advantage, snatching at a shot from 20 yards, but Patrick Vieira would have taken some encouragement from the performance of his young team.
He must have been despairing on 49 minutes though when PSG initiated a lightning-fast counter-attack, with Mbappe's outside-of-the-foot pass finding Asensio, who composed himself before tucking home coolly.
Vieira soon brought on his leading scorer Emanuel Emegha in an effort to turn the tide, and the deficit was subsequently halved as Dilane Bakwa cushioned in a lovely volley at the back post from Chelsea loanee Angelo’s measured cross.
Junior Mwanga then stung Donnarumma’s palms with a fierce drive following a wayward Fabian Ruiz pass, with Emegha’s tame follow-up gratefully gathered in by the Italy international.
PSG ground out the three points however, extending their unbeaten run in this fixture to 14 games (W10, D4) before they host Brest in the Coupe de France next Wednesday. After tonight’s disappointment, Strasbourg also have the cup to distract them as they welcome Le Havre to the Stade de la Meinau the same evening.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Marco Asensio (PSG)
