On Sunday, February 19^th, 2023 the Paris Saint – Germain football club was just several minutes away from losing a 4^th– straight match when Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi victoriously came to the rescue of PSG in order to prevent a major crisis at the hands of the Qatari – backed football club of Lille.

The leaders of the French league managed to give away a 2 – goal advantage as they were eventually losing by only 1 – goal score with just 4 – minutes remaining in the match until Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi somehow happened to turn things around in order to transform a major debacle in the making into a 4 to 3 win for Paris Saint – Germain versus Lille last Sunday.

The Heroics of Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi

As Paris Saint – Germain looked like they were heading very close to yet another hindrance, Mbappe pulled through with a late equalizer at the Parc des Princes. Then Messi struck home the deep winning strike from a free kick opportunity, with a deadly left – footed game – winning shot that found its way into the bottom right corner of the net.

Media Statement from the Head Coach of Paris Saint – Germain

“I will simply say that it’s a great relief,” the head coach of Paris Saint – Germain, Christophe Galtier, expressed.

The Standings of the French League

The elusive and hard – fought victory for Paris Saint – Germain came shortly after a 1 to 0 loss at home last week versus Bayern Munich during the Champions League match following a 3 to 1 loss to Monaco in the French league, as well as another defeat that they suffered vs. their bitter – tasting rival in Marseille via the French Cup.

Paris Saint – Germain held a 5 – point advantage over the 2^nd – place Marseille in the standings, which should have kept all of the pressure on the leaders with a 3 to 2 victory at Toulouse in front of their match up next week at the Stade Velodrome in the biggest contest in all of French football.

The Match

After running just 1 – half an hour vs. Bayern Munich, following the return from a thigh injury, Mbappe was back in action against Galtier’s starting – line – up. Kylian’s overall impression throughout the match made up for Paris Saint – Germain’s defensive shortcomings as well as their lapses of total concentration.

Paris Saint – Germain’s 2 to 0 lead after only 17 – minutes of game action with goals by both Mbappe as well as Neymar allowed PSG to feel very comfortable, but the French champions then proceeded to concede 3 – goals asBafode Diakite, Jonathan David, and Jonathan Bamba all scored a goal shortly after that, and PSG lost Neymar to an injury on top of all of those goals from Lille. This definitely caused serious signs of nerves amongst the Paris Saint – Germain football club.

The host side was immediately under intense pressure as Tim Weah’s shot took a deflection and Gianluigi Donnarumma was obligated into an instinctual save in order to stop the football with nothing else but his feet to make the enormous save. Paris Saint – Germain’s defender, Presnel Kimpembe, then put Donnarumma in a tough spot when he headed the football back in towards the goal – keeper, only to set up David for a sweet one – on – one. The Lille forward then presented himself to be surprised by the accidental assisted attempt as his right – footed strike went nowhere near scoring in order to get past the Italian goalie.

Looking weak, Paris Saint – Germain trusted on Mbappe to lead the way to their victory. Set up by the Brazilian great in Neymar, the forward burst down to the left, and then he cut inside in order to come up face to face with Tiago Djaloand Diakite. Mbappe beat his way through Djalo on his way to forcing his way between the two, then he beat the goal – keeper, Lucas Chevalier, with a low shot that hit gold during the 11^th – minute of game play.

Paris Saint – Germain managed to double their lead with a quick group – effort move which ignited and was concluded by Neymar, who put the ball into his opponents’ empty net. Although, Neymar was taken off of the field on a stretcher during the 2^nd – half of the game following him twisting his right ankle.

Notwithstanding the comfortable cushion, Paris Saint – Germain was viewed as shaky and that they could not dominate the play of the match. The host team often found themself set back on their half of the pitch, and they did not hold onto the lead of the contest for very long after that.

Lille was compensated for their effort from a set piece during the 23^rd – minute, with Diakite heading the football home into the net from a Andre Gomes’ cross following a corner – kick.

Things seemed to take a turn for the worse when Paris Saint – Germain’s Marco Verratti pulled Djalo’s uniform in the box that prompted the referee to signal a penalty which was protested from Paris Saint – Germain players, coaches, and staff. David took the penalty kick and calmly put Donnarumma in his place to level the score.

Bamba then placed Lille in control with a spectacular strike from a very tight angle into the top corner of the goal, leaving Mbappe shaking his head in complete skepticism.

Kylian refused to give up though, and Mbappe put Paris Saint – Germain back into the game when he connected on a back pass from Juan Bernat to stick the football in to the back of the goal prior to Messi delighting Paris Saint – Germain fans with his unbelievable free – kick.

Games Elsewhere

Elsewhere, goals coming from Aleksandr Golovin as well as Myron Boadu gave the 3^rd – place Monaco a 2 to 1 victory at Brest and Lens also defeated Nantes 3 to 1 in order to remain in 4^th – place and just 8 – points behind Paris Saint – Germain.

Lorient managed to beat Ajaccio 3 to 0. The forward of Rennes, Arnaud Kalimuendo, scored two – times in their 2 to 0 whipping of Clermont while Wahbi Khazri just so happened to score a late game – winner to lead Montpellier to a 1 to 0 victory at Troyes.

Kylian Mbappe’s Football Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards

Monaco

• Ligue 1: 2016 – 2017
• Coupe de la Ligue Runner – Up: 2016 – 2017

Paris Saint – Germain

• Ligue 1: 2017 – 2018, 2018 – 2019, 2019 – 2020, 2021 – 2022
• Coupe de France: 2017 – 2018, 2019 – 2020, 2020 – 2021; Runner – Up: 2018 – 2019
• Coupe de la Ligue: 2017 – 2018, 2019 – 2020
• Trophée des Champions: 2019, 2020
• UEFA Champions League Runner – Up: 2019 – 2020

France U – 19

• UEFA European Under – 19 Championship: 2016

France

• FIFA World Cup: 2018, Runner – Up: 2022
• UEFA Nations League: 2020 – 2021

Individual

• UEFA European Under – 19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2016
• UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year: 2018 – 2019, 2020 – 2021, 2021 – 2022
• UNFP Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year: 2016 – 2017, 2017 – 2018, 2018 – 2019
• UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2016 – 2017, 2017 – 2018, 2018 – 2019, 2020 – 2021, 2021 – 2022
• UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: April 2017, March 2018, August 2018, February 2019, February 2021, August 2021, February 2022, November / December 2022
• UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2016 – 2017, 2019 – 2020, 2020 – 2021
• UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2021 – 2022
• FIFA FIFPro World11: 2018, 2019
• Golden Boy: 2017
• FIFA World Cup Golden Boot: 2022
• FIFA World Cup Silver Ball: 2022
• FIFA World Cup Young Player Award: 2018
• FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2018
• Kopa Trophy: 2018
• IFFHS Men’s World Team: 2018, 2021, 2022
• IFFHS World’s Best Top Goal Scorer: 2022
• French Player of the Year: 2018, 2019
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2018
• Ligue 1 Top Goal Scorer: 2018 – 2019, 2019 – 2020, 2020 – 2021, 2021 – 2022
• Ligue 1 Top assist provider: 2021 – 2022
• Globe Soccer Best Player of the Year: 2021
• Onze de Bronze: 2019
• UEFA Nations League Finals Golden Boot: 2021

Orders

• Knight of the Legion of Honor: 2018

Lionel Messi’s Football Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards

Barcelona

• La Liga (10): 2004 – 2005, 2005 – 2006, 2008 – 2009, 2009 – 2010, 2010 – 2011, 2012 – 2013, 2014 – 2015, 2015 – 2016, 2017 – 2018, 2018 – 2019
• Copa del Rey (7): 2008 – 2009, 2011 – 2012, 2014 – 2015, 2015 – 2016, 2016 – 2017, 2017 – 2018, 2020 – 2021
• Supercopa de España (8): 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018
• UEFA Champions League: 2005 – 2006, 2008 – 2009, 2010 – 2011, 2014 – 2015
• UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015

Paris Saint – Germain

• Ligue 1: 2021 – 2022
• Trophée des Champions: 2022

Argentina U – 20

• FIFA World Youth Championship: 2005

Argentina U – 23

Argentina

• FIFA World Cup: 2022
• Copa América: 2021
• CONMEBOL – UEFA Cup of Champions: 2022

Individual

• Ballon d’Or / FIFA Ballon d’Or (7): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021
• FIFA World Player of the Year: 2009
• The Best FIFA Men’s Player: 2019
• European Golden Shoe (6): 2009 – 2010, 2011 – 2012, 2012 – 2013, 2016 – 2017, 2017 – 2018, 2018 – 2019
• FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 2014, 2022
• FIFA World Cup Silver Boot: 2022
• FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2009, 2011
• FIFA U – 20 World Cup Golden Ball: 2005
• FIFA U – 20 World Cup Golden Boot: 2005
• Copa América Best Player: 2015, 2021
• Copa América Top Goalscorer: 2021
• La Liga Best Player (6): 2008 – 2009, 2009 – 2010, 2010 – 2011, 2011 – 2012, 2012 – 2013, 2014 – 2015
• Pichichi Trophy (8): 2009 − 2010, 2011 – 2012, 2012 − 2013, 2016 – 2017, 2017 − 2018, 2018 – 2019, 2019 – 2020, 2020 – 2021
• Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: 2020
• Argentine Footballer of the Year (14): 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Sources:

The Associated Press News Services. “Mbappe, Messi inspire PSG to 4 – 3 win against Lille”. The Associated Press. Sunday, February 19, 2023.

Football Reference News Services. “Kylian Mbappé”. Football Reference. Tuesday, February 21, 2023.

Football Reference News Services. “Lionel Messi”. Football Reference. Tuesday, February 21, 2023.

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