Paris Saint-Germain 2 Bordeaux 0: Champions back on track as Cavani stars
Edinson Cavani played the starring role as Paris Saint-Germain overpowered Bordeaux to pick up a 2-0 victory at the Parc des Princes.
Unai Emery’s side went down 2-0 to Toulouse last weekend and have been left playing catch-up in the early knockings of the Ligue 1 title race behind Monaco and Nice.
But they looked every inch France’s dominant side on Saturday, with Cavani scoring a pair of superb first-half goals to put PSG well in command.
Bordeaux had not lost in the sides’ previous three meetings but they were comprehensively outplayed in this encounter, with former PSG favourite Jeremy Menez ploughing a lone furrow in attack for the most part.
Cavani had chances for a hat-trick in the second half, but he was unable to find a third goal as PSG eased to a fifth win of the Ligue 1 season.
The home atmosphere was taken up a notch by the sanctioned return of PSG’s ‘ultra’ support, who provided a vociferous backdrop, and Emery’s players seemed to respond by flying out of the traps and seizing the initiative.
Layvin Kurzawa freed Angel di Maria on the left flank and the Argentine’s cross was powerfully headed home by Cavani after he muscled in ahead of his front-post marker.
Bordeaux were ponderous in possession as attempts to hit back were few and far between, while PSG routinely carved open sights of goal, Thomas Meunier seeing a measured volley tipped wide by Cedric Carrasso.
Cavani then produced a moment of magic to double the lead on the half-hour, converting Kurzawa’s cross with a neat flicked finish after Lucas Moura had opened up the flank with a backheel of his own.
Bordeaux’s best chance came in the first half’s dying embers, but Alphonse Areola stood up well to Malcom’s effort after Menez had flashed a boot at Gregory Sertic’s delivery from the right.
Cavani audaciously again tried to backheel home shortly after the interval as Meunier got behind the Bordeaux defence down the right, but Carrasso was equal to it before the visitors fired a warning as they went straight up the other end and Menez netted, but he was flagged for offside.
Dogged dribbling from Lucas opened up the chance for Cavani’s treble after the hour, but Carrasso made the save one-on-one as the Uruguay striker telegraphed his finish.
Di Maria beat Carrasso only to be denied by another offside call, but the ultras were back on their feet as Hatem Ben Arfa was given a rapturous welcome when he replaced Lucas with 12 minutes to play.
Making his first appearance in six games, Ben Arfa was unable to add further gloss to the scoreline on his return from exile but it mattered little as PSG comfortably emerged victorious.
