Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Angers v Paris St Germain - Stade Raymond Kopa, Angers, France - November 9, 2024 Paris St Germain's Bradley Barcola celebrates scoring their fourth goal with teammates REUTERS/Manon Cruz
ANGERS, France (Reuters) -Paris St Germain's Lee Kang-in and Bradley Barcola each scored twice in the first half as the leaders cruised to a 4-2 win at promoted Angers on Saturday to remain unbeaten in Ligue 1.
PSG bounced back after their midweek Champions League home loss to Atletico Madrid to reach 29 points and maintain a six-point lead over second-placed Monaco, who won 3-1 at Strasbourg.
Angers are 15th on 10 points and only above the relegation zone on goal difference.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Lee's powerful shot at the far post was awarded by goal-line technology after initially appearing to be cleared by a defender.
Lee netted again three minutes later with a first-time finish from Marco Asensio's low cross from the left. Barcola made it 3-0 in similar fashion from Asensio's second assist just past the half-hour mark.
Barcola bagged his brace in the dying seconds of the first half by heading home Lee's cross.
"We got off to a flying start start. It looked easy, but it wasn't," PSG manager Luis Enrique told reporters.
"When it looks easy, it means that what we're doing is very good. We also gave other players some game time."
Play was halted soon after the break as fans threw tennis balls onto the pitch in protest against the French Football League and broadcasters over changes to the fixture schedule.
After play restarted neither side could add to the score until Angers substitute Esteban Lepaul struck a superb volley in stoppage time and Emmanuel Biumla added another goal for the hosts in the final seconds of the match but it was all too late.
"We need to repeat that first half with the four goals," forward Barcola said. "It's a shame we let up in the second half and conceded the two goals."
PSG next host Toulouse on Nov. 22 after the international break.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Christian Radnedge and Ken Ferris)
