Mbappe nets twice in 4-1 win over Lorient to put PSG on the verge of French league title

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LORIENT – Kylian Mbappé scored twice and provided an assist in a 4-1 win over Lorient to put Paris Saint-Germain on the verge of a record-extending 12th French league title on Wednesday.

PSG extended its lead atop the standings to 14 points with four games remaining and can clinch the title later Wednesday if second-place Monaco fails to beat Lille.

PSG remains on course for a treble of trophies in Mbappé’s final season with the club, as it will play Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semifinals and face Lyon in the French Cup final next month.

In a match between the most prolific attack and the most porous defense in the league, PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé opened the scoring in the 19th minute.

Mbappé doubled the lead by nonchalantly flicking a cross from Nuno Mendes into the far corner in the 22nd.

The France striker set up the third goal by dribbling past Nathaniel Adjei to square the ball back to Dembélé, who tapped into an empty net.

Mbappé sealed the win in the 90th with a curler into the far corner to solidify his spot as the top scorer in the league by raising his tally to 26 goals.

Relegation-threatened Lorient scored a consolation goal with a powerful header from Mohamed Bamba off a cross from Benjamin Mendy in the 73rd.

Gianluigi Donnarumma prevented a nervy finish by saving a low strike from Lorient’s Panos Katseris in the 80th.

PSG coach Luis Enrique fielded a makeshift team that included academy players Senny Mayulu and Yoram Zague. Managing his players’ minutes, Luis Enrique even left Marquinhos, Achraf Hakimi, Vitinha, Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire-Emery out of the matchday squad.

PSG has only lost one league game this season, and that was in September.

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