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Neymar helps PSG move five points clear

Paris Saint-Germain moved five points clear at the top of Ligue 1 with a 2-1 win over Lorient on Sunday afternoon.

There was no Lionel Messi for PSG, who missed the clash due to an inflamed Achilles tendon, but Neymar Junior who missed out against Juventus in midweek due to suspension returned.

Neymar put the champions ahead when he rounded goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo inside nine minutes from a snapped clearance and fired between two defenders and over the line.

Lorient turned to the substitutes' bench four minutes later and removed Mvogo to bring on former Arsenal shot-stopper Vito Mannone.

The away side should've found a second goal near the half-hour mark from a thumping header by Sergio Ramos following a weighted delivery by Kylian Mbappe, but Mannone smothered the effort.

Lorient began to pin PSG back towards the break and nearly levelled when Julien Ponceau's first-time shot from a cutback flew over before Hugo Ekitike slammed a knockdown from Neymar beyond goal.

More chances arrived for the visitors ahead of halftime and in particular Ekitike, who had a snap effort cleared off the line after a loose ball by Achraf Hakimi.

Lorient pulled level over seven minutes in the second half after Terem Moffi latched onto a first-time ball and dinked over Gianluigi Donnarumma from a smart angle.

Moffi was denied a second goal a few minutes later when he got on the end of a square pass in the area and side-footed off the underside of the crossbar.

However, PSG restored the lead when Danilo Pereira jumped on the end of a corner from Neymar in the last five minutes and headed past Mannone from close-range.

It was Pereira's last contribution as he soon thereafter made way for Nordi Mukiele before Pablo Sarabia came on for Mbappe.

Lorient refused to throw in the towel and threatened the equaliser from a ball in the area late on, but it wasn't forthcoming and the defending champions bagged victory.

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