PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain beat Montpellier 3-0 to climb provisionally top of France’s Ligue 1 on Friday, with Ousmane Dembele providing much of the ammunition. Luis Enrique’s new-look PSG seem to be clicking into gear with Lee Kang-in, Warren Zaire-Emery and Vitinha bagging the goals in a dominant win. Reigning champions PSG moved two points clear of Nice at the top.

“What I see is positive, the objective is to continue to be effective in each match and improve,” said coach Luis Enrique. “I undoubtedly saw at the Parc des Princes this evening one of the most beautiful PSG performances (since the start of the season).” Lee’s left-foot shot into the top corner on 10 minutes opened the tally and sparked joy after Kylian Mbappe set him up with a clever dummy. “He is very likeable for any supporter,” Luis Enrique said of South Korean international Lee. “He is young, makes an effort in attack and defence, makes very good decisions and is hungry to play.”

Mbappe was largely kept quiet by some robust defending ahead of PSG’s visit to AC Milan in the Champions League in midweek. Just before the hour mark, Zaire-Emery made it 2-0 after a back-heel from Dembele left the 17-year-old in space on the edge of the six-yard box for a nerveless finish. Substitute Vitinha scored with almost his first touch, slamming home from the edge of the area as goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte dived the right way marginally too late.

Dembele himself came close on 26 minutes and Mbappe, who scored his 250th and 251st goals for the club last week, was wasteful from an ensuing corner. Mbappe nodded one in late on but walked away laughing sheepishly because he was so far offside. Having started their European campaign with a 2-0 home win against Borussia Dortmund, PSG lost at Newcastle but top Group F with six points ahead of their trip to Milan in the Champions League after beating the Italians last week.

On Saturday all eyes were on Marseille’s match against Lille, a week after the Lyon bus was pelted with heavy objects by OM fans, one of which left Lyon coach Fabio Grosso with a serious facial injury that caused the game to be called off. Nice can climb back on top of the league when they host Rennes Sunday with third-placed Monaco hosting Brest the same evening. — AFP