Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Paris St Germain - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - January 14, 2024 RC Lens' Kevin Danso in action with Paris St Germain's Kylian Mbappe REUTERS/Abdul Saboor
LENS, France (Reuters) - Goals from Kylian Mbappe and Bradley Barcola earned Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain a 2-0 away win over RC Lens on Sunday, extending their unbeaten league run to 13 games.
Luis Enrique's side reached 43 points as they extended their lead over second-placed Nice to eight points. Lens are eighth with 26 points.
"Control was one of the keys to the match. We were in a difficult stadium against a complicated team. Playing matches like that is the best way to progress," the Spanish PSG coach told reporters.
"I'm satisfied with the whole match. The first half was very good and I liked the second too. You want more madness, but I want control. In the end it was 2-0. We hadn't won at Lens for ten years."
PSG grabbed the lead in a fine team move where Mbappe set up Barcola for an easy finish inside the box around the half-hour mark.
"In the first half, we showed a lot of intensity and that allowed us to score," Barcola told Amazon.
"I know that when I go off like that, Kylian puts it behind my back ... and all I had to do was finish.
"I've got more and more confidence from the coach and my team mates, so I can't help but feel more and more at ease."
The hosts suffered a further blow just before halftime when Jonathan Gradit received a red card for tripping Barcola as he was through on goal.
Lens had wasted a golden chance to take the lead early in the first half when Przemyslaw Frankowski missed his penalty kick by firing the ball straight at goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. The spot kick had been awarded for a foul by Danilo on Lens forward Elye Wahi.
Mbappe sealed the win in the 89th minute, scoring from a counter-attack and a pinpoint pass from Ousmane Dembele to take his tally to 19 league goals this season.
PSG will next play at US Orleans on Saturday in the French Cup last 32.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
