Kylian Mbappe scores twice, signs autograph as PSG rout Amiens

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:18 am

Kylian Mbappe scored two sublime goals and found time to sign an autograph for a young fan as Paris Saint-Germain crushed Amiens 4-1 on Saturday to go into the Ligue 1 Christmas break seven points clear of Olympique de Marseille with a game in hand.

Champions PSG took the lead when an Amiens attack broke down and a precise pass from Neymar found Mbappe, the 21-year-old French international sprinting forward and coolly chipping the ball past keeper Regis Gurtner in the 10th minute.

Kylian Mbappe hugs a young fan in a Santa Claus hat after PSG's win over Amiens.
JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK/AFP/Getty Images

Gurtner pulled off a string of fine saves to keep his side in the game but the Amiens defence was breached immediately after the break as Mauro Icardi forced the ball in towards Neymar who rattled it home.

Mbappe's second came from another perfect pass, this time from Angel Di Maria, and he fired a superb first-time shot to make it 3-0 to the home side in the 65th minute.

"It was a nice win, a great performance and there were lots of goals. It was important to end the year this way," PSG captain Marquinhos said after the match. "Now we have time to rest. We must continue like this. Our first part of the season has been very good. We finished top of our Champions League group and we lead Ligue 1. Lately, we have grown in strength."

With central defenders Abdou Diallo and Thiago Silva both substituted due to injuries, Stiven Mendoza found enough space to pull a goal back before Icardi struck six minutes from time.

"With Abdou, it is muscular -- hamstring. With Thiago, he twisted it after a challenge," PSG boss Thomas Tuchel said at his post-match conference. "It is bad luck, so we will have to wait to hear the diagnosis.

"Hopefully, there will be no need to recruit after these injuries. I do think either is too serious. We do not like when players get injured, but these things can happen during a season. Presnel [Kimpembe] is on his way back and we have Thilo [Kehrer] again. I hope it is not too bad."

Mbappe had time to hug a young fan wearing a Santa Claus hat who made it onto the pitch and produced a book from under his jacket for the World Cup-winning forward to sign as he was escorted off by security.

ESPN's Jonathan Johnson and Reuters contributed to this report.