Video: Lionel Messi finally scores his 1st Ligue 1 goal as PSG overcome Keylor Navas red card in win over Nantes

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Ligue 1: Lionel Messi scores a brilliant goal for PSG vs Nantes. Lionel Messi scored his first goal in Ligue 1 on Saturday as Paris Saint-Germain beat Nantes 3-1 with a red card for goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

Kylian Mbappe extended his fine goal-scoring run with an opening opener at the Parc des Princes, but equalized for Nantes in the second half after Randall Colo Muni sent off Navas.

A freak goal by Dennis Appia put PSG ahead with 10 minutes remaining before Messi took his 12th win in 14 league games this season, ahead of next week’s Champions League tour of Manchester City. Mauricio Pochettino’s side extended their lead on the lens at the top to 13 points.

Messi missed PSG’s last two matches before the international break via injury, but returned to form a formidable attack with Neymar and Mbappe after leading Argentina up a spot at the 2022 World Cup.

Nantes beat PSG on their last visit to the capital in March, but Mbappe ensured the hosts got off to a perfect start by redirecting a longtime effort from Leandro Paredes’s Alban Lafont.

The France star has scored seven times in his last four matches after scoring five goals for his country in World Cup qualifying victories over Kazakhstan and Finland in the past week.

Lafont made several fine saves to keep Nantes in the game, thwarting Messi twice while denying Neymar and Mbappe off their feet.

Nantes sensed their opportunity, however, when Navas was shown a red card on 65 minutes for leveling Ludovic Blass after charging outside his zone for a long ball chase.

With Gianluigi Donnarumma sick, third choice Sergio Rico came on for his first appearance of the season at Neymar’s expense, almost immediately making a spectacular reflex stop from point-blank range.

Rico then reacted sharply to reverse a header from Colo Muni, but the Nantes striker was quickest to rebound and was back-heeled over the line – with goal-line technique confirming that Rico It was passed before it was clear.