PARIS, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele turned in a virtuoso performance with the first two goals in a 5-0 rout of Olympique de Marseille as the hosts reclaimed Ligue 1 top spot on Sunday.
Last year’s Ballon d’Or winner netted two finely worked first-half goals before a second-half own goal and strikes from substitutes Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Lee Kang-in gave the reigning champions an emphatic victory.
Racing Lens had taken first place on Saturday when their 3-1 home victory over Stade Rennais moved them to 49 points but PSG now have 51 points from 21 matches. Marseille stay fourth on 39.
Dembele had a simple finish to open the scoring in the 12th minute, set up by Nuno Mendes' storming run down the left after he was put through by Desire Doue. Nuno Mendes swept the ball across the face of goal and Dembele side-footed it home.
The second goal in the 37th highlighted the form that saw Dembele win football’s most prized individual award last year. His dribbling skills took him past two Marseille defenders before he forcefully toe-poked the ball into the net.
Marseille defender Facundo Medina headed the ball into his own net for PSG’s third in the 64th minute, trying to intercept a lofted cross from Joao Neves, before Kvaratskhelia thumped in a sumptuous effort on the volley two minutes later.
In the 74th, Lee put the seal on a one-sided showing against PSG's long-standing rivals with a shot from the edge of the area that crept into the corner of the Marseille goal.
The game was briefly halted in the 70th minute by referee Willy Delajod to warn home fans to stop discriminatory chants. The five-goal margin was PSG's biggest triumph over Marseille.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ken Ferris)
