Paris Saint-Germain’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates after scoring a goal against St Etienne during their French Ligue 1 match in Paris on Sunday. (Reuters)
Champions Paris Saint-Germain thumped Saint-Etienne 5-0 after Zlatan Ibrahimovic, making his injury return, scored a hat-trick in their Ligue 1 match on Sunday.
Strike partner Edinson Cavani also netted as the big-spending Parisians ran riot in the capital to move up to second.
“It’s normal when you add a very good player that you play better,” said PSG coach Laurent Blanc.
“We are therefore better with him, his presence is important.”
But they were given a huge helping hand by Saint-Etienne goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier who failed to control a back pass on 24 minutes, turning the ball into his own net as he tried to the steer it on to his right foot but instead pushed it over the line.
Ibrahimovic, making his return from injury, notched his first four minutes before the break with a firm header from Maxwell’s left-wing cross.
He doubled his tally as he ran on to a wayward back pass on 62 minutes before rounding Ruffier and slotting into the empty net.
A minute later Cavani lashed in an unstoppable drive from distance that left Ruffier rooted to his line.
Ibrahimovic completed his hat-trick on 72 minutes after beating a static offside trap and slotting the ball past Ruffier at his near post.
St Etienne coach Christophe Galthier paid tribute to the Sweden star.
“Our opponents were superior in every department, showed great determination and had their leader back,” he said.
“I had said I’d like to see Ibra but but I didn’t want to see him score.”
Earlier, Bordeaux, trailing 1-0 to a first-half strike from Ivorian forward Junior Tallo, were let off the hook when Floyd Ayite’s net-bound strike with quarter of an hour remaining was deflected onto the bar by the hand of home defender Nicolas Pallois.
No penalty was given and instead Bordeaux drew level in the 79th minute thanks to Diego Rolan’s third goal of the season.
Meanwhile, Lyon’s poor start to the season continued as they threw away a lead to lose 2-1 at promoted Metz.
France striker Alexandre Lacazette tapped in to give Lyon the lead midway through the second half at the Stade Saint-Symphorien, only for Yeni Ngbakoto to equalise with a penalty in the 82nd minute after Jordan Ferri was adjudged to have fouled Bouna Sarr.
Metz then clinched their first win since returning to Ligue 1 with three minutes remaining when Venezuelan striker Juan Falcon swooped to head home from Kevin Lejeune’s cross.
The late turnaround sealed a dreadful week for Lyon, who were knocked out of the Europa League play-offs by Romanian side Astra Giurgiu in midweek and have now lost three Ligue 1 games on the bounce.
On Saturday, Monaco came from behind to draw 1-1 with Lille as Dimitar Berbatov cancelled out Nolan Roux’s opener, but the Principality club’s day was overshadowed by the late withdrawal from their squad of Radamel Falcao amid mounting speculation that the Colombian is on his way out of the club.
There were also wins for Rennes, Lorient, Nantes, Toulouse and Lens to go along with a 4-0 victory for Marseille on Friday against south coast rivals Nice.