PARIS (AP) — Striker Mauro Icardi found his poacher’s goal touch again as defending champion Paris Saint-Germain beat Reims 2-0 Sunday in the French league to continue its recovery with a third straight win.
After losing the Champions League final 1-0 to Bayern Munich last month, PSG opened its league campaign with consecutive losses and narrowly avoided a third before squeezing a 1-0 home win against Metz in stoppage time.
No such trouble this time, however, as Icardi struck twice. He opened his account for the season in the ninth minute after being well set up by striker Kylian Mbappé.
Brazil star Neymar's goal drought continued when he missed a good chance late in the half. Mbappé created Icardi's second goal midway through the second half and then missed a glaring opportunity of his own.
Neymar failed to score in three games during the Champions League's Final Eight in Lisbon and has not yet netted in the league so far.
PSG climbed up to seventh place with nine points from five rounds. It's four points behind leader Rennes, which has made the best start in the Brittany club's history.
Earlier, striker Wissam Ben Yedder scored twice as nine-man Monaco held on for a 3-2 home win over struggling Strasbourg.
Ben Yedder, last season's joint top scorer with PSG's Mbappé, struck first in the ninth minute. Right back Ruben Aguilar made it 2-0 just before halftime for fifth-place Monaco.
After Mehdi Chahiri replied for the visitors, Ben Yedder increased the lead to 3-1 in the 53rd before midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni and defender Axel Disasi were red carded. Ludovic Ajorque pulled one back for Strasbourg from the penalty spot in the 70th.
Elsewhere, Teji Savanier's last-minute penalty secured Montpellier a 2-2 draw at Dijon.
Lens striker Ignatius Ganago scored in a 1-1 draw at Nimes and limped off in the second half with a hamstring injury. He netted his fourth goal this season from Gaël Kakuta's pass in the 34th.
Also Sunday, it was: Bordeaux 0, Nice 0; Lorient 1, Lyon 1; and Angers 3, Brest 2.
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