PSG Sweep Aside Marseille To Go 20 Points Clear At Ligue 1 Summit
18th March 2019
The capital giants are now unbeaten in 19 matches against their rivals, winning 16 meetings and drawing three since losing 3-0 at the Stade Velodrome in November 2011
- Angel Di Maria scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain eased to a 3-1 victory over Marseille on Sunday to extend their long unbeaten run against their arch rivals and move 20 points clear at the Ligue 1 summit
- Kylian Mbappe put PSG in front on the stroke of half-time with his 26th league goal of the season, but Valere Germain equalised in the first minute of the second period
- Di Maria's wonderful free-kick added further gloss to the scoreline, although Mbappe saw a late penalty saved by visiting substitute Yohann Pele
PARIS, France- Angel
Di Maria scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain eased to a 3-1 victory over
Marseille on Sunday to extend their long unbeaten run against their arch rivals
and move 20 points clear at the Ligue 1 summit.
Kylian Mbappe put PSG in front on the stroke of half-time
with his 26th league goal of the season, but Valere Germain equalised in the
first minute of the second period.
Argentine Di Maria restored the home team's advantage,
though, and Marseille 'keeper Steve Mandanda was sent off for a clear handball
30 yards from goal.
Di Maria's wonderful free-kick added further gloss to the
scoreline, although Mbappe saw a late penalty saved by visiting substitute
Yohann Pele.
The capital giants are now unbeaten in 19 matches against
their rivals, winning 16 meetings and drawing three since losing 3-0 at the
Stade Velodrome in November 2011.
It was a strong response from Thomas Tuchel's men in their
first real test since being dumped out of the Champions League by Manchester
United.
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With the Ligue 1 title effectively secured, the only
competition left for PSG to play for this season is the French Cup, in which
they face Nantes in the semi-finals next month.
Mario Balotelli had the first shot in anger, shrugging off
the PSG defence before seeing his long-range drive well held by home goalkeeper
Alphonse Areola.
There was a scare at the other end for Mandanda, as the
French international miscontrolled a simple back-pass only narrowly past his
own post.
A group of PSG ultras were boycotting the opening stages
over the team's shock Champions League defeat.
They did not miss much goalmouth action early on, but many
rushed to their seats when they thought Di Maria had put the hosts in front,
only to see the effort ruled out for offside by VAR.
Marseille did well to keep their rivals at arm's length for
the opening 45 minutes, although injuries which forced the substitutions of PSG
full-backs Thomas Meunier and Dani Alves contributed to the game's scrappy
nature.
But PSG forged ahead in the second minute of first-half
injury time, as they broke at pace from a Marseille corner and Di Maria played
in Mbappe to sweep the ball past Mandanda.
Rudi Garcia's away side stunned the Parc des Princes just
seconds after the restart, though, as Lucas Ocampos raced clear and squared for
Germain to slot into the bottom corner.
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Marseille grew in confidence, but that left space for PSG to
exploit, and Di Maria cut inside from the right and curled a fantastic
55th-minute finish past Mandanda to score his fifth goal in six matches.
The match was all but ended as a contest just after the hour
mark when Mandanda raced from his line and dived to handle yards outside of his
area in a moment of madness which left his side a man down.
Di Maria ensured PSG did not wait long to take advantage,
hammering a swerving strike from the resulting free-kick past Pele, who was
brought on for the ineffective Balotelli, and in off the post.
Mbappe missed the chance to score a second himself in added
time, as his penalty was saved by Pele after the World Cup winner was bundled
over by Hiroki Sakai.
Earlier on Sunday, Lyon strengthened their grip on a
top-three spot with a 3-2 victory over Montpellier.
Bruno Genesio's men, who were thrashed 5-1 by Barcelona in
the Champions League last 16 in midweek, saw off their fellow European hopefuls
with goals from Martin Terrier, Moussa Dembele and Houssem Aouar.
Lyon moved six points clear of fourth-placed Marseille in
the race for the final Champions League spot.