Paris Saint-Germain bounced back from their first loss this season by outclassing last-placed Sochaux-Montbeliard 5-0 on Saturday to provisionally extend their Ligue 1 lead to four points.
PSG capitalized on Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s fifth assist this season to open the scoring as captain Thiago Silva volleyed home a cross from the Swedish striker in the 14th minute.
PSG could have reached the interval with a bigger lead, but Sochaux centerback Carlao blocked close-range efforts from Blaise Matuidi in the fourth and Thiago Motta in the 21st.
Photo: AFP
Winger Ezequiel Lavezzi tapped in a short pass from Motta in the 47th, Edinson Cavani beat Sochaux goalkeeper Pierrick Cros in the 62nd and Ibrahimovic sealed the win with a powerful free-kick in the 86th and a close-range effort in stoppage-time.
“He sets an example to our young players,” PSG coach Laurent Blanc said about Ibrahimovic. “The whole team is energized when it sees Zlatan wanting to win, score and give the final ball.”
Olympique de Marseille manager Elie Baup was dismissed on Saturday after the 2010 champions lost 1-0 to Nantes the day before. Baup was replaced by sporting director Jose Anigo, who will be in charge until the winter break.
Photo: AFP
Elsewhere in Ligue 1, Stade de Reims beat OGC Nice 1-0 with a goal in stoppage-time from Gaetan Charbonnier to climb to sixth place and hand Nice a seventh straight loss.
Lorient earned a fourth consecutive win by defeating Stade Rennais 2-0.
Rennes were down to 10 men by the fifth minute when centerback Sylvain Armand was sent off for fouling Vincent Aboubakar. Lorient midfielder Yann Jouffre converted the subsequent penalty and scored with a low strike in the 87th.
En Avant de Guingamp midfielder Younousse Sankhare scored the equalizer in the 71st to salvage a 1-1 draw with lowly Valenciennes after Tongo Hamed Doumbia put the hosts ahead with a header in the 17th.
Saturday’s other match between AS Saint-Etienne and Evian Thonon Gaillard was postponed because of a frozen pitch.
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