PSG victorious, top standings

Paris: Champions Paris Saint-Germain went top for the first time this season with a 3-2 win at mid-table Metz on Friday night, as star forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his first start in two months.Argentines Javier Pastore and Ezequiel Lavezzi scored either side of a Gaetan Bussman own goal for the visitors, who remain unbeaten this season. But perhaps even better news was Ibrahimovic’s return to the starting line-up as he managed to complete the 90 minutes, while only being denied a brace by his Argentine teammates.

 

A pair of Modibo Maiga penalties had briefly brought Metz level early in the second half after turning around 2-0 down at the break, but they couldn’t hold out. Although Marseille can go back to the top by beating Bordeaux at home on Sunday, PSG’s fifth straight league win and seventh in all competitions puts them top as they hunt down the early-season pace-setters.

 

Metz needed only a quarter of an hour to completely self-destruct, by which time they were two goals down.

First up, a succession of wayward passes and mis-controls in the centre of the park by Bouna Sarr and Ahmed Kashi allowed Pastore to steal the ball off Jeremy Choplin, ride a feeble tackle by Guido Milan and delicately dink the ball over goalkeeper Johann Carrasso.

 

He went to ground somewhat prematurely, just a split second before Ibrahimovic arrived to provide what would have been a finishing touch himself. 

The second goal seven minutes later was entirely of Metz’s doing. Maxwell won a free-kick down the left that was swung in by Lavezzi. But it was Metz midfielder Guirane N’Daw who then flicked it on for left-back Bussman to bundle in with his thighs as Carrasso looked on incredulously.