Caen 0 Paris Saint-Germain 6: Cavani hits four-goal blitz in thrashing
Edinson Cavani struck four times in the opening 45 minutes as Paris Saint-Germain hammered Caen 0-6 in Ligue 1 on Friday to get back to winning ways.
Cavani opened the scoring in the 12th minute, finishing well from Maxwell’s low cross, and the Uruguay international soon made it 2-0 from the penalty spot.
Syam Ben Youssef gave the ball away to Lucas Moura and then fouled the winger, with Cavani beating Remy Vercoutre with a well-struck spot-kick into the goalkeeper’s bottom-right corner.
The hat-trick was completed seven minutes before the break, Cavani slotting in at the near post from another stunning move down the PSG left involving Angel Di Maria, before the striker scored again, finishing off Thomas Mounier’s pass to make it a rout.
Lucas added a fifth from range with 23 minutes to go and Jean-Kevin Augustin wrapped up the scoring with a powerful finish from the edge of the area.
PSG were winless in three matches going into this game but move top of the Ligue 1 table following their stunning return to form, while Caen remain in mid-table.
Cavani scored in the first minute against Arsenal in the Champions League in midweek and he almost broke the deadlock early again, shooting wide in the fourth minute after a terrific lofted pass from Di Maria.
He did not have to wait long for the goal, though, as he found the back of the net after just 11 minutes.
Di Maria’s throughball fed Maxwell on the left and, after Lucas failed to connect with the low cross, Cavani tucked a neat finish in off the post.
PSG were then gifted a second when Ben Youssef hauled down Lucas in the area, the Brazilian having robbed the defender before bursting into the box.
Cavani thumped a low penalty home to double the lead and put PSG in complete control, although Vercoutre chose correctly when by diving to his right.
A rampant PSG continued to carve open Caen at will and saw Lucas and Di Maria go close, the latter crafting a wonderful lofted attempt that drifted over the crossbar.
Instead it was Cavani who added the third, the striker completing his hat-trick after 38 minutes, with Di Maria again the creator prior to Maxwell delivering the decisive cross.
And it was four on the stroke of half-time with Cavani again the man on target, a scuffed finish from the in-form forward beating Vercoutre.
Cavani, who accepted the blame for PSG’s draw with Arsenal, was withdrawn at half-time and the magnificent Di Maria was replaced on the hour-mark as PSG coach Unai Emery protected his stars ahead of Tuesday’s home match against Dijon.
Lucas made it five after being given too much space to shoot from outside the box, Vercoutre only able to palm the powerful drive into the corner to make the score even more emphatic.
Caen should have had a consolation when Ivan Santini’s header was well saved by Alphonse Areola, but it would have only been a mere consolation.
Augustin made no mistake to register his first of the season, though, as the 19-year-old made it six to complete a sensational PSG performance.
