Fati stars in Monaco’s win after PSG game at Marseille moved to Monday over weather risk

PARIS (AP) — Former teenage prodigy Ansu Fati scored less than one minute into his Ligue 1 debut and added another goal as Monaco beat Metz 5-2 on Sunday to move up to second place.

Fati came on at the start of the second half and netted with his first touch when he poked in a cross from the right to make it 2-1. It was his second goal in consecutive games as a substitute, having netted Monaco’s consolation in a 4-1 loss at Club Brugge in the Champions League on Thursday.

Sloppy defending allowed Metz to level at 2-2 but Fati headed in Krépin Diatta’s cross in the 83rd minute to put Monaco in front. An own-goal led to the fourth goal before striker George Ilenikhena added a fifth in stoppage time. Striker Mika Biereth got Monaco’s first goal.

Monaco is level with leader Paris Saint-Germain — which had its game at Marseille postponed because of weather concerns — and with Lyon and fourth-placed Strasbourg, which earlier won 3-2 at Paris FC. All have 12 points.

PSG has won its four league games and is the only side unbeaten after Lille’s defeat on Saturday.

Resurgent Fati

The 22-year-old Fati is on a season loan from Barcelona, where he sensationally burst onto the scene in the 2019-20 season.

At the age of 16 years and 304 days, he became Barca’s youngest scorer in the Spanish league at the time and, at the age of 17 years and 40 days, the club’s youngest scorer in Champions League history, a record which still stands.

The fleet-footed Fati set other records — he was previously Spain’s youngest ever scorer — and was predicted to become a world soccer superstar in much the same way as 18-year-old Lamine Yamal is now with Barcelona and Spain.

But the Guinea-Bissau born forward experienced a series of injuries which impacted his confidence and form. He lost his place in Barca’s side and was previously loaned out to Premier League side Brighton.

Strasbourg holds on

Strasbourg took the lead in the 27th minute through 18-year-old Ecuador winger Kendry Páez and doubled it in the 78th through right back Guéla Doué — who is the older brother of PSG forward Désiré Doué.

Paris FC forward Nouha Dicko pulled a goal back against his former club, before striker Emanuel Emegha added a third for Strasbourg and Alimami Gory netted for the home side in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Other matches

Former Porto striker Danny Namaso — who began his career in England with his local club Reading — scored Auxerre’s goal in a 1-0 home win against Toulouse.

Also, Le Havre drew 1-1 with Lorient.

Marseille vs. PSG moved to Monday

The French soccer league postponed Sunday night’s match between host Marseille and PSG by almost 24 hours because of severe weather forecast for the region.

The LFP said the match will be played at Marseille’s Stade Velodrome in southern France on Monday at 8 p.m. local time (1800 GMT). French weather forecasters had predicted heavy rain and storms for Sunday night, making for a safety hazard and unplayable conditions.

How does this affect the Ballon d’Or ceremony?

The decision appeared to prevent most PSG players from attending the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday night, with striker Ousmane Dembélé favored to win and among nine PSG players nominated for the men’s award. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has since joined Manchester City, but was nominated as a PSG player.

However, Dembélé and Doué — the stars of PSG’s 5-0 rout of Inter Milan in last season’s Champions League final — are both out injured and were not included in the squad for the Marseille game. Neither was key midfielder João Neves, who is also nursing an injury.

PSG’s Luis Enrique was nominated for best coach and so would not be able to collect the award in person if he wins.

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