Ligue 1 Wrap: Tchato and Khazri score against PSG, Fofana sees red

Wahbi Khazri and Enzo Tchato were on target as Montpellier bowed 5-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday’s French elite division encounter.

Still basking in the euphoria of their 3-2 triumph over Troyes in their opening fixture, La Paillade travelled to Parc des Princes with the ambition of securing their second win of the 2022-23 campaign.

Unfortunately, the opposite was the case as they returned home with heads bowed low. 

The Parisians were rewarded with a golden opportunity to take the lead after VAR adjudged that Jordan Ferri had handled the ball in his own area, prompting referee Willy Delajod to award a penalty to the hosts.

Kylian Mbappe took the ensuing kick but it was smartly saved by goalkeeper Jonas Omlin who guessed the right direction. 

Even at that penalty setback, they took the lead in the 40th minute after Mali international Falaye Sacko turned the ball inside his own net while trying to clear Mbappe’s cross.

Two minutes before half-time, Sacko gave away another penalty for a handball offence. This time, Neymar took the resultant kick which he slotted home.

Shortly after the restart, Neymar increased PSG’s lead by heading past the onrushing Omlin in the 51st minute. 

Two minutes before the hour mark, Tunisia’s Wahbi Khazri reduced the deficit for the visitors, while Mbappe restored the hosts’ three-goal lead in the 69th minute. 

Neymar thought he had completed his hat-trick five minutes from full-time but his strike was chalked off by VAR. 

Newly signed Renato Sanches got on the end of a cross from Nuno Mendes to score on his debut for Christophe Galtier's team, but there was still time for Cameroonian defender Enzo Tchato to score Montpellier’s second goal of the night.

Elsewhere, ten-man AS Monaco played out a 1-1 draw against Rennes at the Stade Louis II.

Despite playing away from home, the Red and Blacks dominated possession while the hosts struggled to stamp their authority in the low-scoring encounter.

The Monegasques suffered a massive setback in the 15th minute when Mali prospect Youssouf Fofana was given his marching orders for dangerous play against Martin Terrier. 

Even with their numerical disadvantage, they came closest to opening the scoring when they were awarded a penalty around the half-hour mark. 

However, goalkeeper Steve Mandanda made a smart save from Axel Disasi’s spot-kick.

A minute before the hour mark, Gaetan Laborde put Rennes ahead while Monaco were gifted an equaliser in the 72nd minute thanks to Breel Embolo.