Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a late header as runaway leaders Paris Saint-Germain overcame a poor first half to beat Toulouse 1-0 and move provisionally 23 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Lurking near the back post, Ibrahimovic lost his marker at a corner to nod in from close range in the 73rd minute for his league-leading 16th goal of the season.
Moments earlier, he was fortunate not to be booked for diving after theatrically tumbling inside the penalty area.
Photo: AFP
Chasing a fourth straight title, PSG have won 18 and drawn three of 21 games to completely crush the competition, but it was not a convincing performance against a side placed 19th.
“Toulouse caused us problems on every counterattack,” PSG coach Laurent Blanc said. “At halftime, I told my players that we also need to win games like this. When you’re dominating it’s easy, but this wasn’t the case.”
Toulouse went close to scoring when striker Wissam Ben Yedder struck the crossbar with a rasping drive in the first half.
The sides meet again in the Coupe de France in Paris tomorrow and Blanc has a growing injury list. Already without winger Angel di Maria and centerback Thiago Silva, Blanc watched midfielder Javier Pastore and defender Marquinhos limp off.
“It’s a calf strain,” Pastore said. “It’s not serious, but I preferred to come off before it became worse.”
Ben Yedder has scored eight goals in his past five games and he caused problems throughout with his sharp movement.
Shortly after his header was saved by goalkeeper Kevin Trapp in the first half, he collected a long pass from forward Martin Braithwaite, toyed with PSG centerback David Luiz and struck a powerful shot against the bar.
However, PSG improved after the break.
Their goal came when Lucas floated over a corner, Luiz rose to head the ball firmly down and Ibrahimovic reacted quickly to place the ball under the body of 16-year-old goalkeeper Alban Lafont.
Lafont did better in stoppage-time when he made a fine two-handed save to beat away Ibrahimovic’s powerful long-range free-kick.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Stade Rennais moved up to fifth place after a 4-2 victory at last-placed ESTAC Troyes, with defender Fallou Diagne scoring two penalties in the first half.
In other games it was En Avant de Guingamp 2, Nantes 2; Girondins de Bordeaux 1, Lille OSC 0; SC Bastia 1, Montpellier Herault 0; and Gazelec Ajaccio 2, Stade de Reims 2.
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