With their starting lineup decimated due to a host of injuries, PSG seemed primed to struggle on Saturday, even against a bottom-half team.
And they did for long periods, toiling in their attempts to break down a dogged Brest squad.
The Ligue 1 leaders have conceded the most goals of any top-half side since the World Cup, and their penchant for surrendering leads resurfaced. After Carlos Soler netted the opener, nipping in before a defender to turn a rebound home, Brest leveled the score when Franck Honorat dinked the ball over a sprawling Gianluigi Donnarumma.
PSG offered little fight for much of the second half, and Brest created the better opportunities of either side. The Parisians were perhaps lucky not to be down to 10 men after Mbappe kicked out at Haris Belkebla, and Brest squandered a duo of good chances towards to the end of the contest.
And then, Mbappe. In the 90th minute, the forward rushed onto a clipped Messi pass, rounded the goalkeeper and sent the ball into an empty net to turn a dreary game into a victorious one. It was also Messi's 300th career assist - another special milestone for the Argentina star.
GOAL rates PSG's players from Stade Francis-Le Ble...