Anderlecht 0 Paris Saint-Germain 4: Mbappe takes one record as Cavani closes on another
Kylian Mbappe became the Champions League’s highest-scoring teenager and Edinson Cavani netted in a seventh consecutive European match as Paris Saint-Germain’s procession towards the knockout stages continued with a 4-0 defeat of Anderlecht.
The expected chasm between the two Group B sides was not always so evident on Wednesday, but Mbappe scored inside three minutes and Cavani joined him on the scoresheet later in the first half, with Neymar adding a fine third 24 minutes from time.
Mbappe’s eighth goal in the competition – surpassing the seven Patrick Kluivert scored as a teenager – handed pool leaders PSG an excellent start, before the France international turned provider for Cavani to close in on Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record nine-game scoring run.
Anderlecht had created a host of chances between the two goals, but they are yet to hit the net in this group stage, while PSG have still not conceded, and there was not even momentary cheer for the home supporters after the interval.
Instead, the second half was all one-way traffic and Neymar’s precise free-kick was just reward for a sparkling individual display.
Substitute Angel Di Maria added a late fourth and PSG have now secured maximum points in the group to retain a three-point lead over Bayern Munich ahead of the return fixture with the Belgian champions at the Parc des Princes later this month.
FULL TIME: Another fantastic effort from PSG, who remain perfect in the @ChampionsLeague thanks to a 4-0 win over Anderlecht!! #RSCAPSG pic.twitter.com/sHgFBRD73q
— PSG English (@PSG_English) October 18, 2017
Unai Emery’s expensively assembled side were jeered from the outset, but their first attack resulted in the opening goal. Marco Verratti took a pass from Mbappe and fed the ball back through to the forward, who clinically nutmegged Matz Sels with a first-time finish.
The floodgates did not open, though, and Anderlecht responded positively, with Sven Kums drilling wide and Henry Onyekuru nodding straight at Alphonse Areola.
The PSG goalkeeper then raced from his line to smartly deny Onyekuru a second time, before blocking Lukasz Teodorczyk’s drive and holding a header from the same man.
Mbappe could have put the game to bed after 24 minutes. He pounced on Leander Dendoncker’s poor backpass to dash clear, but the wrong-footed Sels superbly swept the ball away from the PSG man with a stretching right hand and watched Neymar drag a follow-up shot wide of the deserted goal.
But a second goal did arrive before the break, with Cavani on target. Sels parried Neymar’s strike only as far as Mbappe and he cushioned a header across the face of goal for his strike partner to nod into the net.
7 – @ECavaniOfficial is the 3rd player to score in 7 consecutive Champions League games after van Nistelrooy & C. Ronaldo. Matador.
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) October 18, 2017
Cavani could have scored again shortly after the restart, picked out by Mbappe as he and Neymar teased the Anderlecht defence, but a right-footed blast struck the crossbar.
Neymar sent a header arrowing just wide from Dani Alves’ cross and Cavani was marginally denied once more – this time by an offside flag.
With PSG completely dominant, Sels blocked Cavani’s mishit dink and Mbappe lashed the rebound over the top, before the third goal finally followed. Neymar won a free-kick on the edge of the area, placing the ball himself and curling an effort below the wall and beyond Sels.
Another tight, yet correct, offside call kept Cavani from doubling his tally and the Uruguayan was then withdrawn as PSG prepared to cruise through the closing stages and secure another comfortable victory.
They could still have conceded against the run of play, however, with Areola alert to keep out Sofiane Hanni’s header and Onyekuru then smashing the rebound against the woodwork as Anderlecht’s last chance came and went.
PSG instead converted another as Di Maria – Cavani’s replacement – ran through and lifted the ball over Sels for his side’s fourth of the night and 12th of the group stage.
