Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored two goals and laid on another as Paris St Germain outclassed promoted Bastia 4-0 to climb to third in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Elsewhere, substitute Kevin Monnet-Paquet equalized with a minute to go to earn fourth-placed Lorient a 1-1 home draw with mid-table Nice while Toulouse goalkeeper Ali Ahamada netted with a stoppage-time header in a 2-2 home draw with Stade Rennes.
PSG and Lorient both have 12 points from six games, three points behind leaders Olympique Marseille who hosted Evian Thonon Gaillard yesterday.
Photo: AFP
Olympique Lyon, in second position, were also in action yesterday at Lille.
Ibrahimovic, three clear at the top of the league scorers chart with seven goals, set up Jeremy Menez for PSG’s opener in the sixth minute before making it 2-0 for the visitors from close range five minutes before the break.
The Sweden striker, who has scored in all bar one of the PSG games he has played this season, was also on target in the 90th minute after Blaise Matuidi had netted the third midway through the second half.
It was unbeaten PSG’s third successive league win. Bastia are down in 14th place after suffering their fourth defeat in a row.
At Lorient, Camel Meriem volleyed Nice in front after 40 minutes when the home defense failed to clear.
The hosts, who were reduced to nine men at Stade Rennes last weekend, had defender Gregory Bourillon sent off for elbowing Dario Cvitanich in the 66th minute, but Monnet-Paquet leveled for Lorient after a fine solo run in the 89th.
Promoted Reims continued their strong recent run as they defeated lowly Nancy 2-0 to rise to fifth place with 10 points.
Gaaetan Courtet headed home a corner in the seventh minute and Diego doubled the lead with a penalty in the second half.
Struggling Sochaux clinched a second successive 3-1 victory, at home to promoted Troyes who are bottom of the table without a win.
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