Messi and Ramos score to fire PSG past Nice

Paris Saint-Germain has defeated Nice 2-0 to restore their six-point lead at the top of the Ligue 1 table and ease the pressure on coach Christophe Galtier.

Lionel Messi scored one goal in Saturday’s encounter and set up another for Sergio Ramos.

Messi converted a Nuno Mendes cross in the 26th minute before Gianluigi Donnarumma produced several key saves and Dante was denied by the woodwork as PSG’s goal lived a charmed life on the Cote d’Azur.

Messi was booed by some PSG fans in last weekend’s home defeat to Lyon, leading to increased speculation he could leave this summer.

Argentina’s World Cup-winning star clipped in a cross from left-back Nuno Mendes in the 26th minute. Then Messi’s corner from the left was headed home by veteran defender Sergio Ramos in the 76th.

Nice was unbeaten in 14 matches overall before this game and went close to equalizing in the first half, but PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma kept out efforts from Nicolas Pépé and striker Terem Moffi.

Veteran defender Dante’s shot came off the underside of the crossbar and appeared to cross the line in the 51st. But referee Jérémie Pignard was not alerted by goal-line technology that it crossed, even though video replays showed a goal should likely have been awarded.

Donnarumma kept out more shots from Pépé and Youssouf Ndayishimiye as Nice kept up the pressure on PSG, which has lost eight matches in 2023.

Nice hit on the crossbar late on in a match of wasted chances.

Final whistle

Under-pressure PSG coach Christophe Galtier returned to the club he coached last season. But Nice’s ultras greeted Galtier with an insulting chant and unfurled a derogatory banner about him.

After the final whistle, Galtier walked over and sarcastically gave a thumbs-up to the section of fans who insulted him, sparking an angry reaction. PSG sporting director Luis Campos intervened to encourage an upset-looking Galtier to leave the field quickly.

PSG stayed six points ahead of second-placed Lens ahead of their match in Paris next weekend.

Earlier, rock-bottom Angers beat Lille 1-0 at home to win for the first time in 22 league games.

Defender Halid Sabanovic struck the winner off the post in the 84th minute for Angers, which had not won since Sept. 17.

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