NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s leading online newspaper. Published by Africa’s international award-winning journalist, Mr. Isaac Umunna, NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s first truly professional online daily newspaper. It is published from Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and media hub, and has a provision for occasional special print editions. Thanks to our vast network of sources and dedicated team of professional journalists and contributors spread across Nigeria and overseas, NEWS EXPRESS has become synonymous with newsbreaks and exclusive stories from around the world.
Two superbly taken goals, a portrait of a player who stands above the rest, defeated Real Sociedad 2-1and carried PSG to the quarter-finals of theChampions League, and one small step closer, perhaps, to the European Cup: 2-0 winners in the first leg, any hope of a comeback for Real Sociedad was ended early, by an exhibition from the man about to sayau revoir, as he led the team that is still his, until May, to a 2-1 victory in Spain.
With the trip to San Sebastian billed as a potentially tricky second leg for PSG to negotiate, all eyes were on Mbappe, who has agreed to join Real Madrid this summer.
And the France forward turned in a superb performance to register his 27th and 28th goals of the campaign for Luis Enrique's side.
The 25-year-old served an early warning to the hosts by accelerating past Hamari Traore to tee up a chance for Bradley Barcola, which was well saved by home goalkeeper Alex Remiro.
And six minutes later Mbappe opened his account for the evening, latching on to Ousmane Dembele's pass and teasing home defender Igor Zubeldia, before whipping a right-foot effort into the bottom-right corner with such power and precision that it temporarily dislodged the netting.
Mbappe's second of the night arrived shortly after the break as he raced clear down the left to collect Lee Kang-in's pass and then emphatically dispatched a disguised low shot past Remiro at his near post.
It was no more than the Parisiens deserved with Imanol Alguacil's Sociedad team far too passive in the opening stages and only sparking into life after they had fallen four goals behind on aggregate.
By then it was far too late with Mikel Merino's driven effort in the closing minutes proving merely a consolation.
Elsewhere, Harry Kane scored his most important goals since arriving in Germany as Thomas Tuchels Bayern Munich avoided an upset and reached the quarter-finals with a 3-0 aggregate victory over Italian side Lazio.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg in Rome, Bayern looked set for a frustrating night until Kane's header levelled the scores on aggregate.
Long-serving Thomas Muller doubled the lead on the night with another header.
Kane made it 3-1 on aggregate from close range after Leroy Sane's shot was parried into his path.
It was an impressive turnaround by Bayern and Kane is hoping the result can help change Bayern's fortunes after a bitterly disappointing domestic campaign
"It's a perfect evening for us. It was a big game," he said.
"Of course we know we have to improve, but nights like this can really change the season. I'm really proud of the boys and we just have to keep this momentum going.
"It was a really important moment in our season. Everyone was looking at us, looking at how we were going to respond after the first leg.
"Hopefully we can use this as a turning point for the rest of the season."
Thomas Tuchel's side were facing a first season without a major trophy since 2011-12.
However, this win keeps alive Tuchel's hopes of delivering Bayern a seventh European title before the former Chelsea boss leaves at the end of the season.
The quarter-final draw takes place on 15 March. (Largely based on BBC reports)