Lionel Messi. Abaca Press

Last-gasp Messi goal seals vital win for Paris Saint-Germain

By Alyssa Clang | Last updated Feb 20, 2023 2:48 PM ET

Lionel Messi scored a dazzling 95th-minute free kick Saturday to clinch Paris Saint-Germain's 4-3 victory over sixth-place LOSC Lille.

The Ligue 1 win comes at a crucial time for the Paris club, which entered Saturday's match on a three-game losing streak.

"In these tough times, we've got to entrench ourselves even further in our work," head coach Christophe Galtier told the media before the game.

Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a beautifully worked solo goal, and Neymar Jr. doubled their lead shortly thereafter with an assist from Portuguese midfielder Vitinha.

But 2021 champions Lille fought back, taking advantage of Presnel Kimpembe's below-average defending to secure a 3-2 lead in the second half. Mbappé leveled the game once more in the 87th minute, and as the clock ticked into injury time, a draw looked all but certain.

Messi had other plans. With mere seconds left, he smashed a free kick off the right post and into Lille's net. PSG's management staff sprinted down the sidelines in delight as Mbappé lifted a grinning Messi aloft, all tension between the World Cup finalists left firmly in the past.

LIONEL MESSI's EPIC GOLAZO FOR THE WIN! #Ligue1 #PSGLOSC pic.twitter.com/pVhfYAcCke
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) February 19, 2023

"I will simply say that it's a great relief," a shaken Galtier told the Associated Press after the victory.

Galtier has good reason to exhale. PSG's poor run of form has led many to question whether he's the right man to lead them at this crucial juncture. While Galtier still has plenty to prove, this hard-fought victory against a strong Lille side underscores that he's moving PSG in the right direction.

It wasn't all good news for Galtier, though. Neymar Jr., after a scintillating first-half performance, was taken off the field on a stretcher with a suspected ankle injury. While the severity of the injury is not yet known, many believe it could rule him out for several weeks -- meaning that Galtier will be without the Brazilian forward for must-win matches against Marseille and Bayern Munich.

Mbappé, however, had strong words for those who doubted PSG's ability to fight through the disappointment. Speaking to Amazon Prime Video, he shared that "the match was not great and we made a lot of mistakes, but we have shown that even when the context is not favorable, we can get through."

Galtier will hope that Mbappé's words are prophetic. His future at PSG may well depend on it.

Alyssa Clang

Alyssa is a Boston-born Californian with a passion for global sport. She can yell about misplaced soccer passes in five languages and rattle off the turns of Silverstone in her sleep. You can find her dormant Twitter account at @alyssaclang, but honestly, you’re probably better off finding her here

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