Paris (AFP)

Last obstacle of the year 2019 successfully overcome: PSG ended its first leg by winning 4-1 against Amiens, Saturday at the Parc des Princes, consolidating its place as leader of Ligue 1 before the winter break, without however avoiding new injuries.

Under the eyes of the 240 children who had the chance to attend the meeting in the VIP stand of the Park, at the invitation of the president of the club Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the teammates of Kylian Mbappé, author of a double ( 12th, 65th), were determined to end the year on a high note.

More than the desire to please the children beneficiaries of the PSG Foundation programs just before Christmas, or the kid who managed to offer a hug of "KM" by entering the lawn at the end of the match, it is the results of the first part of the season which was at stake.

With 45 points and 7 lengths ahead of Marseille, its only pursuer who played one more game, Paris, which is also still involved in other competitions, has generally achieved all of its objectives.

Only shadows on the board, the outings on injuries of his captain Thiago Silva and Abdou Diallo, which raise fears of two absences to come during the resumption on January 2, 2020.

Because far from turning his squad at the end of this "very intensive" week at three matches, Parisian coach Thomas has aligned the big team with in particular his "Fantastic Four" in attack and his Brazilian captain in defense.

- Mbappé exceeds the 40 mark -

On an action model built on the right side, Icardi could have opened the entry score if he had framed his head (4th). It was finally on a lightning counterattack that the offensive quartet unlocked the game.

After a ball repelled by the Parisian defense, Icardi quickly deflects for Neymar who did not miss his immediate "laser pass" to put Mbappé into orbit. Alone against Gurtner, the world champion did not miss the opportunity to register his 40th goal of the year 2019 (1-0, 10th).

Between attempts at acrobatic returns and technical gestures galore, the Parisians have more privileged the pleasure to the efficiency in front of Amiens, determined however to exploit their least chances.

Even if it means multiplying unnecessary bullet losses too much, like an imprecise Neymar. And unlucky as on this point-blank shot a meter away from opposing goals, saved in extremis by a Picard defender (32nd)!

The technical festival experienced a first hitch when Abdou Diallo injured his hamstrings (22nd), then was replaced by Marco Verratti (22nd).

- Injuries of Thiago Silva and Diallo -

The main blow of a first period at the same time frustrating and exciting, also marked by the two minutes of strike of encouragement of the Collective Ultras Paris, principal group of Parisian supporters, "to show the LFP what they did in Sainté ".

The Stéphanois club was sentenced to behind closed doors because of the massive jets of pyrotechnics during the reception of PSG (4-0 defeat) last Sunday.

On returning from the locker room, Paris made the entrance powder speak. After a festival of Icardi in the surface narrowly aborted, Neymar followed well to put the ball in the nets (2-0, 47th).

After the big scare, a Picardy "Madjer" who ended up on the Navas bar, Paris got scared with the injury of Thiago Silva. Went out limping due to a painful ankle and replaced by Thilo Kehrer (58th).

The double from Mbappé brought a smile back to the Parisian public (3-0, 65th), who did not fail to re-motivate his troops after the anecdotal reduction in the score by Steven Mendoza (3-1, 70th) for Amiens.

Message perfectly received by Icardi, on the lookout for a perfect center from Bernat to weigh down the mark at the end of the match (4-1, 84th). Enough to ensure the essential: going on vacation with the feeling of accomplishment.

© 2019 AFP