Ligue 1: Messi’s free-kick earns PSG 4-3 win over Lille

February 19, 2023

Aegentine superstar, Lionel Messi, scored a stunning free-kick in added time to earn Paris St-Germain (PSG) a 4-3 comeback win over Lille on Sunday.

The result lifted them eight points clear at the top of the 2022/2023 French Ligue 1 standings.

Hosts PSG started strongly and Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a brilliant piece of individual skill.

He ghosted past two opponents and squeezed a shot under goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier.

Christophe Galtier’s side doubled their lead when Neymar tapped in a Vitinha cross.

But Lille were far from passive, as Bafode Diakite nodded home an Andre Gomes cross to pull one back in the 24th minute.

PSG suffered a blow early in the second half when forward Neymar was taken off on a stretcher with a suspected ankle injury.

Lille won a penalty kick after Marco Verratti tugged Tiago Djalo’s shirt and Jonathan David coolly converted the kick to level the scores.

Lille piled on the pressure and were rewarded when Gomes pinged a long ball into the feet of Jonathan Bamba.

He smashed his effort past Donnarumma to give his side the lead.

The visitors let their intensity drop, however, and they were punished when Mbappe turned in Juan Bernat’s cross to make it 3-3.

Then, Messi’s free-kick five minutes into stoppage time sealed a dramatic victory for PSG.