Lionel Messi celebrated his return to competition after the World Cup by scoring a second-half goal as Paris St Germain extended their Ligue 1 lead to six points with a 2-0 home win against Angers on Wednesday.
Messi, who won the World Cup with Argentina, received a warm welcome from the Parc des Princes crowd and netted from close range in the 72nd minute to add to Hugo Ekitike’s first-half opener, putting PSG on 47 points from 18 games.
RC Lens stayed second but dropped two points in a 2-2 draw at strugglers Racing Strasbourg with all the goals being scored before the break.
Messi celebrates with Neymar after scoring
Third-placed Olympique de Marseille are now two points adrift of Lens on 39 points after a 2-0 win over Troyes.
Thibaut Courtois saved Jose Gaya’s poorly-struck spot kick to give Real Madrid a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Valencia after the teams had finished level at 1-1 after extra-time in their Spanish Super Cup semi-final in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema celebrates his goal
Karim Benzema gave holders Real Madrid the lead from the spot in the first half after he was fouled inside the area by Eray Comert but Valencia came back into the game and deservedly equalised through a Samuel Lino volley from a Toni Lato cross straight after half-time.
Vinicius Jr could have won it for Real Madrid in extra-time but his close-range shot was saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Real Madrid will face the winner of Thursday’s semi-final between Real Betis and Barcelona in the final in Riyadh on Sunday.