PSG get hard-fought 2-1 win over Nantes to extend lead in Ligue 1
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PSG get hard-fought 2-1 win over Nantes to extend lead in Ligue 1
PARIS (Reuters) - Randal Kolo Muani's late goal helped Paris St Germain secure a 2-1 victory over Nantes on Saturday to claim an eighth straight Ligue 1 win and extend their lead at the top of the standings.
PSG moved to 36 points, six points clear of AS Monaco, who beat Stade Rennais 2-1. Third-placed Nice are on 29 points and will host Reims on Sunday.
"The win is a great boost for what's to come. It was hard for us but we defended very well from the first minute. I think we were good enough to deserve to win," PSG manager Luis Enrique told a news conference.
Bradley Barcola opened the scoring for PSG in the 41st minute when he found space in the six-yard box following a solo run from the left, scoring his first goal since joining the capital side in August.
"We went looking for a player like Barcola, an under-21 international but with a lot of quality, because we like him a lot," Enrique said.
"He is the present and future of the club. We like the young players who can come to the club to know that we will give them confidence and they will play. He scored a great goal and played an exceptional game."
Mostafa Mohamed equalised for the visitors in the 55th minute from a corner, seizing on some poor defending to head home from close range past goalkeeper Arnau Tenas, who replaced the suspended Gianluigi Donnarumma.
France international Kolo Muani scored against his former team to restore the lead for PSG seven minutes from time by capitalising on a rebound after a save by Alban Lafont following a set piece.
"It's good to see my old team mates again. It was a strange feeling, to be on the opposing side," Kolo Muani told Canal+.
"We had to take the three points today. We played some good football and that's reassuring. Even if we weren't able to capitalise on a few chances, we were still in control of the game."
Luis Enrique's side travel to Borussia Dortmund in a key Champions League Group F game on Wednesday knowing they must win to be sure of reaching the last 16.
"We've been working hard all week for the match that's coming up," Kolo Muani added. "We're very confident and we know we've got a big game ahead of us there.
"We have a very strong squad so we're very confident about facing Dortmund."
