体坛英语新闻：PSG celebrate eighth Ligue 1 title with Mbappe's hat-trick

PARIS, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Kylian Mbappe registered a hat-trick to help Paris Saint-Germain overcome Monaco 3-1 at home and secure their title in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

PSG sit 19 points clear of second-placed Lille with five rounds remaining as the gap was enough to ensure their sixth title in seven seasons and eighth overall. Mbappe's treble improved his league goal tally to 30, before Alexsandr Golovin got one back for the visiting side.

After failing to claim the title on three previous occasions, the runaway leaders effectively achieved it as their closest rival Lille were held to a goalless draw at Toulouse earlier in the day.

Both sides wore special jerseys in homage to Notre Dame Cathedral which was badly damaged in a blaze earlier this week, and all PSG players sported "Notre-Dame" above their numbers.

Despite early sluggishness, PSG managed to move ahead in the 15th minute. Mbappe beat Diego Benaglio through counter-attack, just three minutes after Monaco starting goalkeeper Danijel Subasic made way for Benaglio to injury.

Mbappe's second goal arrived in the 38th minute, as he latched onto Dani Alves' pass for a comfortable finish.

After being sidelined for almost three months, Brazilian star Neymar returned from his foot injury at the start of the second half.

Mbappe cut inside before firing a shot bouncing off the post. Then Moussa Diaby had a goal disallowed for offside.

20-year-old Mbappe completed his hat-trick with a tap-in on Alves' right-flank cross in the 55th minute, thus becoming the first French player to net 30 times in a single Ligue 1 season since Jean-Pierre Papin in 1989-1990.

Edinson Cavani was also introduced in with 17 minutes from time. He saw a header ruled offside late in the match.

Golovin made the most of PSG defender Thilo Kehrer's poor clearance to score a consolation goal for Monaco in the 80th minute.

Also on Sunday, Saint-Etienne surpassed Marseille onto the fourth place with a 2-0 road victory over Reims. Kalifa Coulibaly's brace lifted Nantes past Amiens 3-2.