Barcola scores twice as PSG extends unbeaten run in France with 3-1 win over Rennes

Bradley Barcola scored one goal in each half and Lee Kang-in added a third as Paris Saint-Germain beat Rennes 3-1 on Friday to extend its unbeaten run in the French league.

Barcola took a pass from Ousmane Dembélé after half an hour and steered a right-foot shot inside the far post. Lee got his third goal of the season to double the home side’s advantage 12 minutes into the second half and Barcola added his second with a simple tap in after 68 minutes. Arnaud Kalimuendo scored a consolation goal for Rennes from the penalty spot.

Rennes had a second goal chalked off by VAR with two minutes to end any hopes of a comeback.

Barcola fifth and sixth goals of the season take him to the top of the Ligue 1 scoring charts, one clear of Marseille’s Mason Greenwood.

PSG has 16 points from its first six games. Marseille is also unbeaten and has 13 points from five games. The south coast club plays at Strasbourg on Sunday.

Rennes is in eighth place with seven points from six games.

Auxerre beats Brest

Auxerre beat Brest 3-0 on Friday to grab its second league win of the season and put the brakes on the visitor’s recent run of form.

Brest was coming off two consecutive victories, including a 2-1 win over Sturm Graz in its first ever Champions League match.

But under the pouring rain in central France, Auxerre finally showed some of the form that won it promotion last year and staved off a fifth straight defeat in Ligue 1.

Elisha Owusu put the home side ahead with a left-foot shot after 26 minutes and captain Jubal doubled the lead from the penalty spot 11 minutes later. Hamed Junior Traorè, on loan from Bournemouth, then got his second goal in two games 14 minutes into the second half.

The result leaves both teams with six points from six matches.