By PA Sport
Last Updated: 25/08/18 10:44pm
Neymar celebrates his strike against Angers
Edinson Cavani celebrated his first appearance of the season by firing the opener before Kylian Mbappe and Neymar also scored to secure Paris Saint Germain a 3-1 victory over Angers.
The Uruguay striker missed the wins against Caen and Guingamp because of the hamstring injury he sustained in the World Cup last-16 triumph against Portugal, in which he scored twice to secure a quarter-final against France.
Having proved his fitness, he was immediately restored to PSG’s starting line-up and wasted no time in opening his account for the season by pouncing in the 13th minute after being set up by Neymar.
The 31-year-old struck the crossbar with a header shortly after and then missed with a scissor kick when the rebound fell kindly as he searched for a second at the Parc des Princes.
Goalkeeper Alphonse Areola prevented Angers from equalising when he kept out Jeff Reine-Adelaide’s header, but the visitors were rewarded for their growing influence with a 23rd-minute penalty.
It was a dismal way for Thilo Kehrer to mark his PSG debut following a £34m summer transfer from Schalke, the Germany U20 centre-back committing a reckless foul that enabled Thomas Mangani to convert from the spot.
Kehrer paid for his error by being replaced by Stanley N’Soki at half-time. PSG restored their lead in the 53rd minute when a sublime cross from Angel Di Maria was met by Mbappe, who volleyed it into the back of the net with an equally brilliant finish.
A jubilant Mbappe was mobbed by Cavani and Neymar as he celebrated and it was not long before the Brazil captain joined his fellow World Cup stars on the scoresheet.
Mbappe provided the assist in the form of a low cross that Neymar expertly guided into the net.
It was far from one-way traffic as Areola was kept busy in the PSG goal, but the home side’s ruthlessness in attack had swept them clear.
Cavani was replaced by Christopher Nkunku in the 74th minute and later Di Maria made way for Julian Draxler.
Mbappe almost made it four only to be denied by a fine stop from keeper Ludovic Butelle before Areola denied Cheikh Ndoye to help ensure Angers’ quest for their first points of the season continues.
Kylian Mbappe (R) was on target alongside Neymar
Elsewhere, Dijon joined PSG on nine points after dispatching Nice 4-0 at Allianz Riviera, although they trail the title favourites on goals scored.
It was a deserved win for the visitors who had to wait until the second half for the breakthrough which came from Nayef Aguerd before Oussama Haddadi added the second.
Sealing the result was a late double by Jules Keita to complete another fine performance from Dijon.
Nimes also hoped to secure a third win in three rounds of the new season but instead they fell 1-0 at Toulouse to an 81st-minute strike by Max-Alain Gradel.
Five goals and a red card made for an eventful clash at the Credit Agricole de la Licorne Stadium as Amiens clinched their first win of the season with a 4-1 victory over Reims.
Reims were another team with hopes of preserving a 100 per cent start to the season but they succumbed to two goals from Senegal striker Moussa Konate and additional strikes by Eddy Gnahore and Saman Ghoddos.
The visitors were not helped by the 37th-minute dismissal of defender Romain Metanire, although they at least grabbed a consolation effort through Mathieu Cafaro.
Montpellier and St Etienne fought out a goalless stalemate at La Mosson while Nantes and Caen shared a 1-1 draw.
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