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Player ratings as Mbappe nets five in dominant win

Paris Saint-Germain were in no mood to humour a cup upset as they thumped sixth-tier Pays de Cassel 7-0 in the Coupe de France round of 32 on Monday.

PSG weren’t at 100% but Christophe Galtier didn’t go far off. Neymar and Mbappe both featured up top, while regular starters Sergio Ramos and Nuno Mendes both featured at the back.

The Ligue 1 leaders nearly got things underway with an early goal as Neymar’s through ball sent Mbappe to slot home, but the Frenchman was quickly (and correctly) called back for offside.

Despite the obvious gulf in quality, Pays de Cassel didn’t shy away from trying to take the game to PSG, with midfielders Baptiste Leclerc and Nicolas Bruneel both enjoying nice stints in possession.

Unfortunately, their spirited efforts could only take them so far as PSG opened the scoring through Mbappe on the half-hour mark.

Mendes’ low cross found Mbappe in the box and his effort took a touch off a defender on its way to the net, opening the floodgates for the Parisians.

Neymar netted a few moments later after some glorious one-twos with Mbappe, and before you could catch your breath, the Frenchman chipped the ball into the back of the net to make it three.

PSG should have had a fourth when Neymar blazed over from close range soon after, but Mbappe made up for it by securing his hat-trick five minutes before the interval with another delightful dink.

Mendes was the only player removed at half time, with PSG still determined to keep adding to their tally. Vitinha saw an effort cleared off the line and Renato Sanches fired wide, but goal number five did come ten minutes into the second half as a major error from Pays de Cassel goalkeeper Romain Samson gifted Mbappe with the easiest goal of his career.

Carlos Soler made it 6-0 after the hour mark with an audacious backheel, and PSG continued to throw everything they had at their minnow hosts as Neymar brought out his tricks to flex his dominance.

It was Mbappe who scored the seventh, thumping home his fifth from close range to cap off an emphatic, albeit unsurprising, victory.

GK: Keylor Navas (7); RB: Timothee Pembele (7); CB: Sergio Ramos (7); CB: Danilo Pereira (8); LB: Nuno Mendes (8); CM: Vitinha (9); CM: Renato Sanches (7); CM: Carlos Soler (9); AM: Neymar (10); ST: Hugo Ekitike (6); ST: Kylian Mbappe (10).

Substitutes: Juan Bernat (7), Achraf Hakimi (7), Fabian (7), Ismael Gharbi (7), El Chadaille Bitshiabu (7)

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