Lionel Messi hits stunning winner as PSG come from behind to beat Toulouse

Argentine World Cup winner makes up for absence of Mbappe and Neymar at Parc des Princes

Paris Saint-Germain's Argentine forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring their second goal in their 2-1 Ligue 1 win against Toulouse at the Parc des Princes on February 4, 2023. AFP

Lionel Messi celebrates with teammates after scoring the winner. AFP

Paris Saint-Germain's Argentine forward Lionel Messi (L) celebrates with Paris Saint-Germain's Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi after scoring his team's second goal during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Toulouse FC at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on February 4, 2023. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Branco Van Den Boomen celebrates giving Toulouse the lead. EPA

Branco van den Boomen celebrates after scoring at Parc des Princes. AFP

Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi shoots and scores to level at 1-1. AFP

Achraf Hakimi celebrates after scoring. AFP

Lionel Messi scored a superb second-half winner as a Paris Saint-Germain side missing the injured Kylian Mbappe and Neymar came from behind to beat Toulouse 2-1 on Saturday and consolidate their lead at the top of Ligue 1.

Dutch midfielder Branco van den Boomen gave mid-table Toulouse the lead at the Parc des Princes from a 20th-minute free-kick, only for Achraf Hakimi to curl in the equaliser with half-time approaching.

Messi then put PSG in front just before the hour mark with a glorious first-time strike on his left foot low into the corner of the net from just outside the area.

It was Messi's 10th Ligue 1 goal of the season and his 15th for his club this campaign, as the World Cup winner stepped up in the absence of PSG's two other superstar attackers.

The Qatar-owned club are now eight points clear at the top of the table from Marseille, who play Nice on Sunday and then host PSG in the French Cup last 16 in midweek.

Mbappe will miss that game and the Champions League last-16 first leg against Bayern Munich on February 14 after being ruled out for three weeks with a thigh injury suffered in the 3-1 win at Montpellier last Wednesday.

Neymar missed a second successive game with an apparently minor adductor problem, meaning it was left to Messi to lead the attack alongside 20-year-old Hugo Ekitike with support from Vitinha and Carlos Soler.

But Christophe Galtier's side have other injury issues, with Sergio Ramos unable to play and Renato Sanches forced to come off in tears just 12 minutes into the game.

The Portuguese midfielder was starting for just the fifth time since joining from Lille at the start of the season.

He was replaced by teenage defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu, with Danilo Pereira moving up into the midfield, and the substitute was partly responsible when PSG fell behind.

Bitshiabu was booked for bringing down Zakaria Aboukhlal 25 metres from goal, and Van den Boomen sent the resulting free-kick low into the left corner of the net with Gianluigi Donnarumma beaten.

Messi hit the post from a corner and Toulouse had another goal disallowed for offside before the home side drew level seven minutes from half-time as Hakimi collected a Carlos Soler pass, cut in from the right flank and curled a shot on his left foot into the far corner from 20 metres.

Hakimi then turned provider as he set up Messi to make it 2-1 on 58 minutes and the outcome was rarely in doubt after that with PSG - who have had some recent wobbles - deserved winners.

Substitute Mikkel Desler did force a good save from Donnarumma deep into injury time before Messi hit the post again right at the death.