Kylian Mbappe played a starring role as Paris Saint-Germain secured a thumping 3-0 victory over Feignies Aulnoye in Coupe de France.
Paris Saint-Germain advanced to the Round of 32 in the Coupe de France by sealing a comfortable win over Feignies Aulnoye at Valenciennes. It was a straightforward win for the defending champions, who had no problems dominating their fifth division opponent, as they dominated possession and crafted multiple goalscoring opportunities.
Indeed, a strong start to the proceedings helped PSG earn a penalty inside the first 15 minutes, with Kylian Mbappe converting the spot-kick to hand his team the lead. The visitors were awarded another penalty around the half-hour mark, with Mauro Icardi doubling his team’s lead heading into half-time.
PSG made a strong start to the second half as well despite Mauricio Pochettino making a couple of changes at half-time. It was Mbappe who added the third for the Ligue 1 giants, capitalising on a cross from Colin Dagba in the 51st minute. PSG had no shortage of goalscoring opportunities even after that period, but their youngsters were unable to take full advantage of their chances.
As a result, they had to settle for the 3-0 victory, which booked their ticket to the next round, where they will be up against Vannes OC. Here, at The Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over the PSG side in their comprehensive 3-0 victory over Feignies Aulnoye on Sunday.
Keylor Navas: 6/10
Keylor Navas had nothing much to do as Feignies Aulnoye offered very little threat going forward. In fact, they could only muster one shot on target, thus leading to a relatively easy clean sheet for the PSG goalkeeper.
Thilo Kehrer: 7/10
Thilo Kehrer started the game at right-back, offering a decent amount of solidity and attacking support. But he was shifted to a more central role in the second half, as Pochettino opted for more firepower in the wide defensive positions. The German did well to help PSG keep a clean sheet.
Sergio Ramos: 6.5/10
Sergio Ramos made his return from another knock by starting against Feignies Aulnoye. In fairness, the veteran defender did not have to do much defensive work, as Aulnoye struggled to create anything meaningful going forward. Ramos was subbed off at half-time, with Pochettino taking no risks.
Sergio Ramos in white again ? pic.twitter.com/SDvO25KlGz
— Ele (@EleModric) December 19, 2021
Presnel Kimpembe: 7.5/10
Presnel Kimpembe’s defensive work was vital in helping PSG stay on top of Feignies Aulnoye, especially when dealing with potential counter-attacks. The Frenchman showcased his quality by emerging as a leader at the back in the second half in the absence of Marquinhos and Ramos.
Abdou Diallo: 5/10
Abdou Diallo was the weakest link in the PSG defence. He looked troubled defensively when Aulnoye pushed men forward, while the former Borussia Dortmund starlet was also unable to offer much going forward.
Leandro Paredes: 5/10
Leandro Paredes struggled to make his mark on the proceedings. Apart from a few attempts on goal, he failed to offer anything meaningful in the middle of the park. He was subbed off at half-time.
Marco Verratti: 7/10
Marco Verratti was surprisingly given a start by Pochettino despite his injury problems lately. The Italian did not disappoint, though, using his creativity and positioning sense to help PSG remain on top. He was replaced around the hour mark.
Dina Ebimbe: 6/10
It was yet another underwhelming performance from Dina Ebimbe. The youngster was given the responsibility of offering the creative spark in midfield, but he was far too passive at times, thus leading to a lack of chance creation in the middle of the park. He was eventually replaced by Ismael Gharbi around the hour mark, and it won’t be surprising to see the 21-year-old being shipped out on loan in January.
Xavi Simons: 7/10
It was refreshing to see Xavi Simons being given a rare opportunity by PSG. The former La Masia graduate did not disappoint either, playing well in tight spaces while linking the ball up in the final third. The youngster lacked a bit of end product but certainly deserves more starting opportunities.
Xavi Simons has done more in 45 mins than all of our midfielder (bar Verratti) this season.
— ? (@Ani7ii) December 19, 2021
Mauro Icardi: 6.5/10
Mauro Icardi was a danger-man for Feignies Aulnoye due to his positioning sense inside the box. But the Argentine attacker was rather wasteful and did not offer anything meaningful other than the penalty in the first half.
Kylian Mbappe: 9/10
Kylian Mbappe was the undisputed star of the show in PSG’s convincing win over Feignies Aulnoye. He was a threat throughout the game due to his pace, dribbling and goalscoring prowess that made life difficult for the opposition defenders. The Frenchman capped off his display with a couple of goals and will look to wrap up his 2021 with another top performance against Lorient in midweek.
Kylian Mbappé's career by numbers:
◉ 308 games
◉ 198 goals
◉ 96 assists
◎ 4x Ligue 1
◎ 3x Ligue 1 YPOTY
◎ 2x French POTY
◎ 2x Ligue 1 POTY
◎ 2x World XI
◎ 1x Trophée Kopa
◎ 1x Golden Boy
◎ 1x World Cup
◎ 1x World Cup YPOTT
◎ 1x Nations League23 years old today. ? pic.twitter.com/rgdK0h0D4c
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) December 20, 2021
SUBSTITUTES
Colin Dagba: 7/10
Colin Dagba replaced Ramos to add much more creativity on the right-hand side of the PSG defence. He notably assisted Mbappe for his second goal of the evening.
Danilo Pereira: 6.5/10
Danilo Pereira offered protection in the PSG midfield after coming on for Paredes at half-time. The Portuguese international kept things neat and tidy in the possession phase.
Ismael Gharbi: 6.5/10
Ismael Gharbi showed promise with his technical prowess and dribbling ability, notably creating a few chances late in the game. The youngster has the potential to become a star player for PSG.
Edouard Michut: 6/10
Edouard Michut was not as impressive as Gharbi but offered a more meaningful presence than Icardi inside the penalty area.
El Chadaille Bitshiabu: N/A
A late replacement for Kimpembe. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
