Brest 2-4 PSG summary: score, goals, highlights, Ligue 1
Mbappé strikes as PSG beat Brest to go top
France World Cup winner Kylian Mbappé netted with a superb header to help Paris St Germain to a 4-2 win at Brest on Friday which lifted them to the top of Ligue 1 with a maximum nine points from three games. Ander Herrera fired PSG ahead with a 23rd-minute volley before Mbappé made it 2-0 in the 36th when he powered his effort past home goaleeper Marco Bizot from 10 metres after latching on to a rebound from Giorginio Wijnaldum's shot.
Franck Honorat pulled one back for the home side with a crisp finish in the 42nd minute after a slick move, with Steve Mounie holding up the ball well to set up Romain Faivre who released Honorat with a clever back-heel. The pace dropped after the break before midfielder Idrissa Gueye restored PSG's two-goal advantage in the 73rd minute with a rasping shot from 35 metres which beat Bizot inside the near post, although the keeper should have done better. Brest missed a pair of chances in the 77th as visiting keeper Kaylor Navas parried a Ronael Pierre-Gabriel shot and Honorat rattled the woodwork with the rebound.
The visiting defence continued to look shaky and Mounie set up a tense finish when he reduced the arrears in the 85th minute as he drilled in his shot under Navas after another fine assist from Faivre. PSG were forced to hang on in the closing stages before substitute Angel Di Maria sealed their win in stoppage time with a sublime lob from the edge of the penalty area as the visitors broke away after a Brest corner. It was a second successive win for PSG without their new signing Lionel Messi, who is yet to feature for the French giants after joining them from Barcelona earlier this month.
Messi was presented to PSG fans before last Saturday's 4-2 home win over Strasbourg but was not in the squad either for that fixture or the win at Brest, having taken a month off after steering Argentina to the Copa América title in July. On Saturday, Monaco are at home to Lens while champions Lille, who have taken one point from their opening two games, visit St Etienne. (Reuters)
Game ends!
Game over. Very much like Strasbourg last weekend, Brest made PSG sweat for a while as they pulled the score back to 3-2 in the dying minutes. But like last week, PSG found the final goal to kill off the game. It's 3 wins from 3 now for PSG. But questions to be asked about their leaky defense again, which let their weaker opponents back into the game. A win is a win, however, and PSG have got the three points they came for.
GOAL! ANGEL DI MARIA KILLS OFF THE GAME FOR PSG!
With Brest pressing high for the equalizer, they have left themselves open to the counter attack. Di Maria drives forward all the way from his own third. He passes to Hakimi, who plays the one-two back to Di Maria. The Argentine looks up and then lobs the ball over Bizot to make it 4-2!
As the home fans roar, Faivre charges down the right before playing a pass towards the center. Cut out by PSG.
Icardi has had to come off after picking up what looks like an injury to his shoulder. Kalimuendo replaces him. Poch will hope that's not too serious.
GOAL BREST!
Mounier takes the ball down with his chest inside the box and then slots the ball passed Navas. It's game on again!
Kylian Mbappé, who is on a yellow card, makes way for Angel Di María. Verratti was also taken off on 54' and replaced by Draxler after having picked up a yellow. Poch playing it cautious with two of his stars.
What a chance for Brest! Honorat eases passed Diallo on the right flank before squaring a pass towards Pierre Gabriel unmarked by the penatly spot. He shoots... great save from Navas! It should be 3-2.
WHAT A GOAL FROM GANA GUEYE FOR PSG!
A contender for goal of the month there from the center back. Brest seemed to have dealt with the danger from a corner but the ball fell to Gana Gueye, who had plenty of time to line up a shot, which he drives into the near top corner from 30-plus yards out. What a strike!
So close for Brest! Mounie gets in behind Diallo and is one on one with Navas, who does well to stop the shot. Oh well, it turns out Mounie was just offside as the ball was played. Positive play from the hosts though.
Honorat on the floor in some pain after Mbappé made connection on his inner ankle with his studs miliseconds after the Brest player cleared the ball. Mbappé first gesturing that Honorat is faking but the replay shows that there was definitely contact. Mbappé eventually comes over to see if he's OK.
All 10 Brest outfielders deep inside their own half as they try to keep PSG at bay.
Decent free-kick delivery from Mbappé on the left towards a dangerous area, but Bizot rushes out to punch the ball away.
Great chance for Brest. Honorat is found in space on the right flank. He tries a low cross towards Mounie, but the ball is cut out and cleared by PSG. Another dangerous break from Brest.
Tough challenge on Icardi, who wins a free kick for PSG inside Brest's third. Verratti takes the free kick, chipping a pass towards Mbappé, who can't get a shot off and Brest clear.
Hakimi with a decent strike from distance but Bizot gets down to collect.
Second half starts
Brest kick of the second half in Brittany.
The teams are back on the pitch at the Stade-Francis-Le Blé with the second half about to start.
First half ends
The ref blows his whistle and that's the end of the first half. PSG head to the tunnel with a 2-1 lead thanks to goals from Herrera (24') and Mbappé (36'). But the hosts responded quicly with an excellently executed goal from Honorat on 42'. Again PSG cannot keep a clean sheet.
Mbappé with the corner but he hits way, way over everybody to the far side of the pitch.
GOAL BREST!
Following fast break from Brest from their own third, Mounie holds things up by the top of the 18-yard area as he awaits support. He squares a ball to Faivre, who plays a clever back heel to Honorat on the the overlap on the right. Honorat blasts a low first-time shot from distance that flies passed Navas. 2-1!
Mbappé has now scored or assisted in 9 consecutive Ligue 1 games. Its his fourth against Brest as a PSG player.
MBAPPE SCORES PSG SECOND!
It was a move that Mbappé started, finding Hakimi on the right, who heads the ball to Wijnaldum in the center of the area. The Dutchman has his shot blocked, but the ball falls to the incoming Mbappé, who guides a difficult headed opportunity home from 12 yards out. 2-0!
Hakimi! The Moroccan defender on the overlap collects the ball inside the box on the right, cuts back inside to get the ball onto his left foot before launching a shot at Bizot. Again the Brest keeper saves.
Mbappé threatens as Diallo finds his teammate towards the center of the box. But his shot is blocked.
Hakimi does well to cut out a Brest attack, dispossessing Cardona on the left flank before he could find center forward Mounie.
GOAL PSG!
Herrera opens the scoring at Brest. From a poor headed clearance, the Spaniard connects well with a first-time volley from outside the box. Bizot gets a hand to it but he can't stop the ball ending in the bottom left corner. 1-0!
Positive attacking play from Brest as they keep the PSG defenders on their toes.
Herrera gives away a free kick in a dangerous area for body checking Cardona as the Brest winger tries to run forward into space. Mbock goes straight for goal but the shot is way over. Poorly taken.
Verratti! The Italian is found in acres of space from the corner. He launches a shot from the right close to the six-yard area, but the ball flies just over the bar as he managed to get his to far under it. He did well to find the space for himself.
Verratti floats a nice ball into the box towards Icardi, who tries the glancing header but Bizot saves again.
Kehrer has a go from distance but it's way off target. That's why he's a defender.
Mbappé takes the first corner from the left, but Bizot punches the ball away.
Brest unsurprisingly had less possession in their last two games, but managed more shots on target than their opponents. They've currently seen 17% of the ball in these opening minutes.
Threat from Brest. A high ball comes across the area to Cardona on the left edge of the box. He tries a first-time lobbed cross towards Mounie by the far post. But it's too high and the ball goes out for a goal kick.
Mbappé chance! Nice combo play from PSG ends with Hakimi sliding a pass to Mabppé close to goal. The Frenchman tries a shot from the right but it's not good enough to trouble Bizot, who punches the ball away.
First shot of the game comes from Herrera, but it takes a wicked deflection.
Game starts
PSG get the game underway at Stade Francis-Le Blé.
Showtime approaching
The teams have emerged from the tunnel and are ready to go on a pleasant summer night in Brest.
Verratti returns for PSG
Marco Verratti will play his first game of the season for PSG after he was given extended leave following Italy's Euro 2020 success...
Zlatan top scorer against Brest
Zlatan Ibrahimovic remains the top scorer in this fixture with 6 goals. Kylian Mbappé needs three more goals against Brest to match the Swede. At least one of those goals could likely come today...
PSG looking for 7th straight win at Stade Francis-Le Blé
The last game these two met at the Stade Francis-Le Blé back in May, PSG ran out 2-0 winners, with goals coming from Faivre (OG) and Mbappé. PSG have won their past 6 games on the trot here.
Brest confirm starting XI
Starting XI: Bizot, Uronen, Brassier, Chardonnet, Pierre-Gabriel, Mbock, Belkebla, Cardona, Faivre, Honorat, Mounié
PSG team sheet is in
New signings Hakimi and Wijnaldum start for the Parisian side, as does Mbappé...
Starting XI: Navas, Diallo, Kimpembe, Kehrer, Hakimi, Herrera, Verratti, Gueye, Mbappé, Wijnaldum, Icardi
Messi will not be in attendance
Messi will not be in the stands at the Stade Francis-Le Blé to see his teammates play tonight as the Argentine star has reportedly flown back to Barcelona, where he will spend a few days at his home in Castelldefels...
Axel Camblan debut
Tonight's game will see the debit of Axel Camblan, the 18-year-old striker who joined the club in August...
Poch speaks ahead of Brest clash
The PSG coach spoke the club's media channel ahead of today's game, which he expects to be a difficult one against 11th placed Brest...
The PSG boys are in the house
We should have a starting XI to announce shortly, we'll keep you posted...
Mbappé set to start
No MNM, but Kylian Mbappé is set to start following his heroics last weekend, when the Frenchman scored one and set up two in PSG's 4-2 win over Strasbourg at Parc des Princes. Mbappé has now either scored or assisted (or both) in 8 consecutive Ligue 1 games.
No Messi, Neymar and Ramos in PSG squad to face Brest
Fans hoping to finally see the MNM (Messi-Neymar-Mbappé) attacking trident in action will once again be disappointed. Neymar and Messi are not in the squad to face Brest, and neither is Sergio Ramos.
Ramos is still recovering from a calf issue that will keep him out of action until after the mid-September, while Messi has been given time by coach Maurcio Pochettino to regain his fitness after a break following Argentina’s title-winning Copa America campaign. Neymar is also working towards full fitness.
Welcome!
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Ligue 1 game between Brest and PSG at the Stade Francis-Le Blé. The game gets underway in an hour (9pm local time / 3pm ET), so stick with us for some preamble and team news as it comes in. Friday night football in Brittany is around the corner!