After Maccabi midfielder Tjaronn Chery volleyed in a cross in the 24th minute, Messi gave a sloppy PSG side a much-needed equalizer from Mbappe’s cross from the right in the 37th.
“We fell asleep a bit and conceded the first goal. Then we were able to make the difference after that," Mbappe said. “I hope all three of us continue to score because it means we’ll win games.”
Messi's exquisitely weighted pass then sent Mbappe running down the left in the 69th, and he clipped the ball into the bottom right corner for his third goal in two group games.
Neymar latched onto
PSG tops Group H with six points along with Benfica, which won 2-1 at
But this was a disjointed PSG performance at times against a Maccabi side inspired by the silky Chery.
“We need to work hard and we need to improve quickly in the way we play,” Mbappe told broadcaster Canal Plus.
Wearing the No. 10 jersey — but far less illustrious than PSG's No. 10, Neymar — Chery went close to making it 2-0 on the stroke of halftime.
With some brilliant improvisation that Neymar would have been proud of, Chery juggled the ball three times and then hit a fizzing 25-meter shot that PSG goalkeeper
Mbappe missed a chance early on when he tried and failed to round Maccabi's goalkeeper
When PSG carelessly lost the ball in midfield yet again — 39 times in the first 30 minutes — Maccabi moved it quickly to the right.
As in previous seasons, PSG'S team spirit was lacking and none of the stars responded until Mbappe burst down the left and clipped a deflected pass inside for Messi to guide the ball home in the 37th.
But Maccabi cut through PSG's weak midfield soon after the break and had two half-chances. Neymar seemed to lose patience with his teammates, chatting at length with Verratti and Marquinhos, but PSG's attack made the difference again.
Mbappe netted with two sharp volleys in PSG's 2-1 win against
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