Paris Saint-Germain moved six points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table after defeating Troyes 3-1 on Sunday evening.
Ligue 1
Result: Troyes 1-3 Paris Saint-Germain
Date: 07 May 2023
Venue: Stade de l'Aube
PSG were without the suspended Lionel Messi and Achraf Hakimi and in came Warren Zaire-Emery and Hugo Ekitike while Fabian Ruiz was recalled in three changes from their defeat against Lorient.
The Parisians had a dream start after Kylian Mbappe gave them the lead on eight minutes with a close-range header from a rebound after Vitinha's deflected cross came off the crossbar.
PSG remained on the front foot and created chances towards the half-hour mark as goalkeeper Gauthier Gallon denied Ruiz twice from quick succession with a strikes in the bottom corner.
Troyes had a couple of opportunities in the closing phase of the first stanza but they were not decisive in the last third and took too long before they could have shots at goal and that allowed the Parisians to recover.
However, the hosts came very close to equalising on the stroke of half-time after Mama Balde met a cross at the near post with a diving header but his effort brought the best out of shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Christophe Galtier's charges peppered Troyes with shots from the break, with Mbappe coming close with a strike that flashed just wide after he cut inside the box.
PSG eventually got their two-goal cushion on the hour-mark after Gallon could not hold onto Vitinha's header and ricocheted the ball into him again towards goal following a cross by Marco Verratti.
The Parisians maintained their dominance as Mbappe had a chance to seal the deal in the last quarter of an hour after a cross on the byline by Marquinhos but his shot in the box was blocked.
Galtier made a double change five minutes later for fresh legs as Carlos Soler and Renato Sanches both came on for Ekitike and Verratti.
However, Troyes pulled a goal back just after that following their own substitutions as well, as Xavier Chavalerin headed home a lofted pass by Papa Ndiaga Yade.
But the home side' hopes of a salvaging something in the game were dashed, as Ruiz killed the game off moments later with a powerful drive in the box after Gallon parried Mbappe's initial shot on his path.
PSG pulled six points clear of second-placed Lens at the top of the log with four games to go while Troyes were virtually relegated, as they are 12 points from safety languishing second-from-bottom.
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