PARIS: Paris St Germain extended their Ligue 1 lead to 13 points with a 4-3 home victory against Girondins de Bordeaux on Sunday but the French champions were again exposed at the back and had Neymar sent off.
A Marquinhos double, Edinson Cavani’s 200th PSG goal and a goal by Kylian Mbappe put the capital side on 65 points from 26 games but they lost captain Thiago Silva to a muscle injury and Neymar picked up a straight red card for a late challenge in stoppage time.
Bordeaux, who scored through Hwang Ui-jo, Pablo and Ruben Pardo, are 12th on 35 points.
Third-placed Stade Rennais beat visiting Nimes 2-1 earlier on Sunday to reduce the gap to second-placed Olympique de Marseille to eight points.
Five days after losing 2-1 at Borussia Dortmund in a Champions League last-16 first leg, PSG did little to reassure their fans.
The players had ‘Stay Strong China’ written on their shirts to show their support for the victims of the coronavirus that has killed more than 2,000 people in China.
In a tough first half, Silva limped off the pitch in the 16th minute with a muscle problem and was replaced by Idrissa Gueye.
Hwang headed home from Nicolas de Preville’s corner as the PSG defence were caught off guard in the 18th minute, only for the hosts’ all-time best scorer Cavani to level with a header from Angel Di Maria’s cross seven minutes later.
The hosts increased the pressure and Cavani hit the woodwork before Mbappe forced Benoit Costil to make a superb save at the half hour.
Marquinhos deflected Di Maria’s free kick with his shoulder to put the home side ahead three minutes into added time in the first half, only for Pablo to equalise one minute later in farcical fashion.
Second-choice Sergio Rico’s clearance from Marco Verratti’s backpass bounced on to Pablo’s knee and into the goal.
PSG, however, accelerated after the break and Marquinhos put the French champions ahead after 63 minutes, poking home the ball after Costil had parried a Cavani header into his path.
Six minutes later, Mbappe doubled the advantage from close range after being set up by Cavani.
PSG were kept on their toes until the final whistle as Pardo found the top corner with a superb strike seven minutes from time.
Neymar was then sent off for a late and rough challenge on Yacine Adli.
The post Neymar sent off as shaky PSG beat Bordeaux appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
Written by Sandeep Sen
This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/neymar-sent-off-as-shaky-psg-beat-bordeaux/ under the title “Neymar sent off as shaky PSG beat Bordeaux”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
