Ethan Mbappe Haunts Former Club as Lille Stuns PSG with Late Draw in Ligue 1
Ethan Mbappe, younger brother of Kylian, tormented his previous team Paris Saint-Germain by scoring a late equaliser after entering the game as a substitute during Lille's Ligue 1 encounter on Sunday, while Lyon suffered an unexpected 2-1 defeat to Toulouse at home.
The 1-1 stalemate at Lille's Stade Pierre-Mauroy still allowed PSG, a squad dealing with injuries, to move one point ahead at the top of the French league table.
A significantly altered PSG lineup travelled north where substitute Nuno Mendes's outstanding second-half free-kick appeared to have secured victory for the reigning champions until the 18-year-old Mbappe intervened.
We focused on the players' well-being. It has been a challenging week. Following the match in Barcelona during the Champions League, we are feeling the fatigue said PSG coach Luis Enrique regarding his starting XI.
The first half offered few clear opportunities, with Bradley Barcola missing a prime chance to open the scoring for PSG as he sprinted through on goal but mishit his effort.
Lille started the second period more aggressively as 39-year-old Olivier Giroud attempted an ambitious overhead kick before Nabil Bentaleb shot straight at Lucas Chevalier.
Lee Kang-in and Barcola responded for PSG as the match became more open.
Luis Enrique introduced multiple substitutions around the 60th minute and was rewarded six minutes later when regular left-back Mendes curled a superb free-kick into the top corner from 30 yards out.
Mbappe then entered the field under the watchful gaze of his older brother Kylian, now at Real Madrid and present in the stands, with eight minutes remaining.
Achraf Hakimi, also a substitute, missed a golden opportunity to seal the game for PSG in the 83rd minute by firing wide from a promising position.
However, Mbappe stole the headlines two minutes later, cutting inside on his left foot and firing a shot through Lucas Beraldo's legs that sailed past the unprepared Chevalier.
Ethan possesses character, strong self-belief and the abilities required at the highest level said Lille manager Bruno Genesio.
Lille now sit seventh in the table, five points behind PSG.
Harsh Outcome
New signing Emersonn scored twice for Toulouse including a 96th-minute header to secure a 2-1 victory over Lyon.
Paulo Fonseca's team had started the weekend level with PSG at the top but now occupy fourth place following their late collapse.
Lyon appeared set to lead the table temporarily when Malick Fofana put them ahead in the 24th minute.
Emersonn, brought on with under 20 minutes remaining, turned the game around to lift Toulouse to ninth position with 10 points.
The 21-year-old summer arrival from Goztepe found the net for the first time in the 87th minute with a deflected strike.
He then headed home a corner in the sixth minute of added time to seal the win.
Lyon assistant coach Jorge Maciel described it as a cruel yet predictable result.
It's insufficient. We can never be content with a 1-0 advantage. We must maintain intensity and avoid giving opponents openings the Portuguese coach added.
Elsewhere, Monaco and Nice played an exciting 2-2 draw on the Cote d'Azur.
Sofiane Diop gave the visitors the lead in the 29th minute, before Nice were reduced to 10 men five minutes later as Ali Abdi received his second yellow card.
Diop nevertheless doubled Nice's advantage from the spot in the 42nd minute but fifth-placed Monaco equalised through two penalties converted by Ansu Fati.
Strasbourg dominated 17th-placed Angers 5-0 to climb to third, matching Marseille and Lyon on 15 points.
Rennes were held to a 2-2 draw at Le Havre despite taking a two-goal lead within the first 30 minutes.