By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Kylian Mbappe scored two goals and created another as Ligue 1 leaders Paris St-Germain fought back to beat relegation-threatened Saint-Etienne.
Messi again provided the assist as Mbappe added a second after the break.
Mbappe then created a third for Danilo Pereira to complete the win and send PSG 16 points clear at the top.
1️⃣5️⃣6️⃣ GOALS !@KMbappe joins @Ibra_official in 2nd place in the ranking of the top scorers in PSG’s history! pic.twitter.com/fBO6YUCXp0— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) February 26, 2022
The two goals from the 23-year-old French striker saw him join Zlatan Ibrahimovic as PSG’s second highest-ever scorer with 156 goals.
After the game on Saturday, Mbappe thanked his fans and said he felt honored to equal Ibrahimovic’s record.
“My 156th goal? It’s incredibly special. I think that having the opportunity to be able to equal the record of a player like Ibrahimovic is fantastic. We all know what he did here, so it means that we are playing with high standards.”
“And being able to score at the Parc des Princes and to equal the record here is particularly special. Here, at home, in front of the supporters, who have always supported us, so we are very happy to have this moment. We have important times ahead of us and we all want to head in the same direction.”
As things stand, Mbappe is still 44 goals behind PSG’s all-time top scorer Edinson Cavani. The current Manchester United star netted 200 goals in 301 appearances for the Parisian outfit during his seven-season stint at the club.
Mbappe’s stunning cross with the outside of his boot to find Pereira at the back post for a header ensured PSG avoided dropping points for the second successive week, having been upstaged 3-1 by Nantes seven days earlier.
Saint-Etienne, however, made sure it was no easy return to winning ways for PSG despite being a side that started the day 15 places and 37 points behind the runaway competition leaders.
Defeat leaves Saint-Etienne two places and one point above the relegation spots, having also played one game more than every side below them.