Mid-range magician Barcola takes PSG over Lens all by himself

Football is a simple game when played by those who know. And a magical game when in the hands of magicians like Bradley Barcola.

The 23-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward singlehandedly led Les Parisiens to a 2-0 Ligue 1 home victory over Lens on Sunday night.

Barcola scored a brace - a goal in each half - netting it twice in a pretty much the same fashion - superbly accurate from outside the box.

We saw the opener around the 15th-minute mark, coming as a genuine punishment after two chances missed by the visitors. Vitinha passed it to Barcola, who was in his preferred position, on the left wing, cutting it in before curling it smoothly into the far low corner for a lovely opener, 1-0.

Same players, and the same outcome, only separated by the half-time break. Again, Vitinha to Barcola, only this time the mesmerizing forward took the central path towards the edge of the box, firing low past Lens' helpless keeper to double the lead, 2-0.

Luis Enrique's men were good enough and just routinely held onto that two-goal lead until the end. The only thing that should worry the Spaniard and the Boulogne Boys is Khvicha's injury, as the Georgian was subbed off midway through the first half after a collision with the opposition's defender.

LIGUE 1 - MATCHDAY 4

Friday

Olympique Marseille - Lorient 4-0 (3-0)

/Greenwood 13 pen, Pavard 20, Gomes 33, Aguerd 90+3/

Saturday

Nice - Nantes 1-0 (0-0)

/Boga 56/

Auxerre - Monaco 1-2 (0-1)

/Salisu 73 og - Minamino 45+2, Ilenikhena 89/

Sunday

Lille - Toulouse 2-1 (0-0)

/Bentaleb 90 pen, E. Mbappe 90+8 - Magri 50/

Brest - Paris 1-2 (0-2)

/Del Castillo 52 pen - Geubbels 14, Marchetti 34/

Metz - Angers 1-1 (1-0)

/Gbamin 14 - Abdelli 90 pen/

PSG - Lens 2-0 (1-0)

/Barcola 15, 51/

Strasbourg - Le Havre 1-0 (0-0)

/Panichelli 90+1 pen/

21.45: (2.75) Rennes (3.65) Olympique Lyon (2.55)

***odds are subject to change***