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Messi scores his first goal in Ligue 1 to help 10-man PSG beat Nantes

Lionel Messi struck his first goal in Ligue 1 on Saturday as Paris Saint-Germain overcame a red card for goalkeeper Keylor Navas to defeat Nantes 3-1.

Since leaving his boyhood club Barcelona in the summer, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner has been widely criticised on social media for not being able to find the net in France’s top-flight.

Despite playing alongside Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, Messi hasn’t necessarily been as prolific in the league as you’d expect despite having shone in the Champions League.

However, that all changed as Nantes made the trip to the Parc des Princes on Saturday afternoon with Messi breaking his Ligue 1 duck in typically fantastic fashion.

The Parisians had experienced more than a few wobbles during the game with Keylor Navas picking up a red card and Nantes having equalised despite Mbappe finding the net early on.

But the luck turned in PSG’s favour when Dennis Appiah’s attempted interception of a Messi pass into the final third saw him score one of the wildest own goals that we’ve seen all season.

And while PSG could certainly feel very fortunate to have regained the lead in such remarkable circumstances, there was nothing lucky about the way it set the stage for Messi to score.

The 34-year-old might not have announced himself to Ligue 1 with a Puskas Award contender, but it should come as absolutely no surprise that he found the net with a typically superb individual goal.

Picking up the ball as he raced towards the penalty area, Messi whipped a typically inch-perfect finish into the far corner in a goal that was truly worth the wait. Enjoy the final in all its glory here:

 

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