Kylian Mbappe led Paris Saint-Germain to a 7-0 win over amateur team Pays de Cassel on Monday in the French Cup.
He scored five goals, including a 12-minute hat trick in the first half. The win set up a round-of-16 match against arch rival Marseille.
“We came here to respect this team by playing at our level. That’s what we did and we’re very happy,” Mbappe said.
“It was a great opportunity for them and also for us, because it’s a reminder for us that we come from amateur football and it’s important to keep this link.” Mbappe added.
This is the first time in history that the PSG striker has scored five goals in a single match.
Mbappe now has 25 goals this season. This is also the second time the 24-year-old striker has scored a hat-trick for PSG in the 2022-2023 season, in addition to three goals for the national team in the World Cup final France last month.
It took PSG nearly 30 minutes to break through US Pays de Cassel’s crowded defence in Regional 1, France’s sixth division.
Mbappe hit a home defender off Nuno Mendes’ dribble and stretch, leaving goalkeeper Romain Samson helpless.
From this point on, the match became easier for Christophe Galtier’s team. Neymar and Mbappe smashed like no one before the Brazilian striker finished through the five defenders and US goalkeeper Pays de Cassel to double the gap.
In this match, Lionel Messi was not registered, but the presence of Mbappe and Neymar duo was more than enough for the PSG attack to dance.
Just a minute later, Danilo Pereira gave Mbappe a long pass to break the offside trap and then toss the ball over Samson’s head.
The French international completed his hat-trick before half-time when he successfully took advantage of the opportunity to face the goalkeeper after Vitinha’s slot.
Having lost four goals at half-time, US Pays de Cassel seemed to have run out of momentum. Their defense once again let Mbappe and Samson’s amateur ice phase create conditions for the PSG striker to shoot into an empty net.
Less than 10 minutes later, it was Carlos Soler’s turn to register on the scoreboard with a close-toed heel strike, after Neymar had completely attracted the attention of the home defense.
Mbappe set the score with a close-in ball in the far post after Soler’s cross in the 79th minute.
This is his 29th goal in the French Cup, equaling the achievement of Marseille legend Jean-Pierre Papin.
PSG will return to Ligue 1 and face Reims in round 20 on the evening of January 29.
