Champions Paris Saint-Germain defeated spirited Strasbourg 2-1 in Ligue 1 on Friday. Kylian Mbappe expertly saved a penalty and scored the first goal.

With 20 games played, PSG has collected 47 points. On Sunday, Nice, in second position, will face Brest, in third place, with 38 and 35 points, respectively.

"They pressed us high, we weren't always precise enough, but we had a good match against an opponent who had a good dynamic and nothing to lose," Luis Enrique, the coach of PSG, remarked.

On his Ligue 1 debut for Strasbourg 22-year-old goalkeeper Alaa Bellaarouch saved Mbappe's well-struck penalty in the fifth minute to leave the superstar striker holding his head.

However, Mbappe scored his 20th league goal of the season when the rookie 'keeper made a frantic clearance and slammed the ball into an open goal.

Mbappe then turned provider early in the second half with a deft centre clinically finished by Marco Asensio.

With 25 points from 20 games, Strasbourg is positioned in the middle of the table following a match that the visitors ultimately won.