Pro Sports

Cavani and Mbappe score 3 each as PSG routs Guingamp 9-0

Posted January 19, 2019 6:00 am

By JEROME PUGMIRE

PSG's Neymar celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the League One soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Guingamp at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) The Associated Press

PARIS (AP) - Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe scored hat tricks as league leader Paris Saint-Germain crushed bottom club Guingamp 9-0 on Saturday.

Neymar netted twice while Thomas Meunier was also on target as PSG avenged Guingamp's League Cup quarterfinal win earlier this month .

The rout equaled PSG's club record league win: 9-0 away to Troyes in 2016, when Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the star. The capital club won a French Cup game 10-0 in 1994.

PSG, which has a huge tally of 62 goals in 19 games, is now 13 points ahead of second-place Lille with two matches in hand. However, the win was marred by an injury to midfielder Marco Verratti, who limped off after 18 minutes.

Neymar opened the scoring in the 12th after taking down a long pass from Dani Alves, cutting inside a defender and finishing sharply with his right foot.

He then set up Mbappe in the 37th after they swapped passes and his fellow striker side-footed the ball in.

Just before halftime, Mbappe grabbed his second after Cavani tackled defender Felix Eboa Eboa on the edge of the penalty area and the loose ball rolled to him.

Guingamp forward Marcus Thuram - son of France great Lilian - was occasionally a threat but it was a dominant first-half display by PSG.

After the break, Guingamp fell apart as Cavani netted a second-half treble, Neymar had a goal confirmed after video reviews showed it crossing the line, and Mbappe swept home from close range to get his hat trick.

Mbappe moved further ahead in the league scoring charts with a career-best 17; Cavani has 14 and Neymar 13.

Later Saturday, Cesc Fabregas is set to make his home debut as Monaco faces Strasbourg while Nimes meets Toulouse and Reims takes on Nice.

Lille won 2-1 at home to Amiens on Friday.

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/apf-Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PSG's Kylian Mbappe, 3rd left, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the League One soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Guingamp at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) The Associated Press

PSG's Kylian Mbappe, center left, tries to get past Guingamp's Christophe Kerbrat during the League One soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Guingamp at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) The Associated Press

Guingamp's Marcus Thuram, top, jumps for the ball with PSG's Dani Alves during the League One soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Guingamp at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) The Associated Press

PSG's Neymar celebrates with Kylian Mbappe, left, after scoring his side's sixth goal during the League One soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Guingamp at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) The Associated Press

PSG's Edinson Cavani reacts after a missed chance to score during the League One soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Guingamp at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) The Associated Press

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