Kvaratskhelia nets brace as PSG demolish Nantes and boost Ligue 1 advantage

After suffering a defeat against Olympique Lyonnais on home soil over the weekend, PSG were dragged back into a competitive title chase, yet they had a chance to widen the margin against their nearest challengers in this encounter.

The Parisians launched an ideal opening, securing a penalty after just fifteen minutes when Ali Youssef was punished for handball in the area following a header from Marquinhos that struck his arm.

VAR officials confirmed the decision, allowing the penalty to stand, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia coolly dispatched it into the bottom corner.

Nantes fortunes worsened as they believed they had equalised around the halfway mark of the opening period, with Louis Leroux capitalising on a rebound inside the six yard box to score, only for the effort to be ruled out due to a prior infringement during the sequence.

The visitors endured a frustrating opening 45 minutes, trailing by two at the break after Achraf Hakimi surged ahead and assisted Désiré Doué, who unleashed an exquisite effort from a narrow position into the top far corner.

PSG erupted into the second half with renewed energy and quickly extended their lead to three, as Kvaratskhelia weaved through defenders into the penalty area before finishing with precision.

Under Luis Enrique, the team were in full flow, with Hakimi nearly making it four by curling a long range attempt just past the post, while Kvaratskhelia struck the crossbar to miss out on a treble.

Fabián Ruiz then attempted his own, but a deflection sent his shot crashing against the upright.

Ultimately, the trio of goals proved ample for PSG to secure a dominant win and reclaim firm control in their pursuit of a record breaking 14th Ligue 1 crown.

For Nantes, they sit five points clear of the relegation playoff position, with the clock ticking down for Vahid Halilhodžićs squad, who appear headed for a return to Frances second division after 13 years away.