Neymar scores in PSG's rout of Monaco; Tottenham target Krzysztof Piatek nets in AC Milan win over SPAL
Thursday 16 January 2020 01:40, UK
Paris Saint-Germain secured a convincing 4-1 victory at Monaco in a rescheduled game to open an eight-point lead at the top of the Ligue 1 standings on Wednesday.
Three days after the sides drew 3-3 at the Parc des Princes, Kylian Mbappe scored twice and Neymar netted a penalty.
Second-half substitute Pablo Sarabia was also on target for PSG, while Tiemoue Bakayoko briefly reduced the arrears for Monaco.
PSG moved to 49 points from 20 games and have clear water between themselves and second-placed Olympique de Marseille on 41.
Stade Rennais are five points further adrift in third after the Brittany side beat Nimes 1-0 away courtesy of a second-half Adrien Hunou goal on Wednesday.
After the defeat, Monaco are now ninth on 29 points.
Elsewhere, Rennes strengthened their grip on third place with a 1-0 win at struggling Nimes and Amiens drew 1-1 at home to eighth-place Reims.
AC Milan briefly forgot their Serie A troubles as they swept aside SPAL with a 3-0 victory in their Coppa Italia last-16 match on Wednesday.
Krzysztof Piatek, Samu Castillejo and Theo Hernandez scored for Milan, who are a modest 10th in Serie A after a miserable season, while veteran Zlatan Ibrahimovic stayed on the bench.
Piatek ran onto Ismael Bennacer's pass to open the scoring after 20 minutes against Serie A's bottom-placed team, and the Pole then provided the pass for Castillejo to curl in the second one minute before half-time.
Juventus forward Paulo Dybala scored twice and was involved in a mesmerising exchange of passes to provide another for Gonzalo Higuain as the Turin side thumped Udinese 4-0 in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday.
The Old Lady, missing Cristiano Ronaldo with sinusitis, went ahead with a delightful goal after 16 minutes that had all the hallmarks of their coach Maurizio Sarri.
A long passing move ended with Dybala and Higuain exchanging three successive one-twos to slice open the Udinese midfield before Higuain slotted the ball past goalkeeper Nicolas.
Dybala got on the scoresheet 10 minutes later, converting a penalty after Nicolas fouled Federico Bernardeschi and the Argentine curled in the third in the 58th minute.
A Douglas Costa penalty just after the hour completed the rout.
