Paris Saint-Germain's Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (right) is challenged by Lens' French midfielder Wylan Cyprien during their French L1 match, in Paris yesterday. PSG won 4-1. (AFP)
AFP/Paris
Paris Saint-Germain warmed up for their decisive Champions League date with Chelsea by recording a routine 4-1 home win against Lens yesterday that took them provisionally to the top of the Ligue 1 table.
A David Luiz free-kick just before half-time and a Zlatan Ibrahimovic penalty on the hour mark put Laurent Blanc’s side in control at the Parc des Princes, and substitutes Blaise Matuidi and Javier Pastore made sure of the points after Yoann Touzghar had reduced the deficit.
The result took the defending champions two points clear at the top, although Lyon can reclaim first place if they win at Montpellier on Sunday evening.
Paris remain unbeaten at home this season and have now gone 14 games without losing in all competitions, and that record was never really in danger of ending here against such limited opposition.
However, Blanc will be aware of the need for an improved display against Chelsea, with the last-16 tie level at 1-1 and PSG needing to score at Stamford Bridge to have a chance of progressing to the quarter-finals for the third season running.
With that game in mind, Blanc rested Thiago Silva and left Marquinhos, Matuidi and Edinson Cavani on the bench against a Lens side nine points adrift of safety and without a win in eight league games in 2015.
The home side started well on a beautiful early spring day in Paris and almost took the lead in the 14th minute when Marco Verratti fed Ibrahimovic, but the Swedish striker drilled his shot against the bar and over.
Rudy Riou clawed away a David Luiz header before Ibrahimovic squandered a gilt-edged opportunity, seeing his attempted chip go straight into the arms of Riou after being played through on goal by Adrien Rabiot.
Lens eventually settled into the contest and looked set to hold out until half-time on level terms until PSG won a free-kick a minute before the interval and David Luiz’s low strike from 35 yards swerved into the bottom-right corner of the net.
Ezequiel Lavezzi was denied a tap-in by a miraculous last-gasp challenge by Ludovic Baal shortly after the restart, but the capital club doubled their lead on the hour mark as Gregory van der Wiel was fouled in the box and Ibrahimovic converted the resulting penalty for his 12th league goal of the season.
Touzghar converted a cross from the left to reduce the arrears on 69 minutes, but Blanc sent on Cavani, Matuidi and Pastore for the final stages and the latter two both got their names on the scoresheet towards the end.
First Pastore’s low ball to the back post was converted by Matuidi with 10 minutes left, and three minutes after that Pastore thumped home a volley after a delightful one-two with Ibrahimovic.
There was still time for Van der Wiel to crash a shot off the bar, but the win was a fine response from PSG to Olympique de Marseille’s superb 6-1 victory at Toulouse on Friday night.
Marseille had not won a league game since January 31 as their title push faltered but the visitors were 3-0 up in 20 minutes and 4-0 up at the break after a rampant first-half display.
Belgian forward Michy Batshuayi gave them a second-minute lead with a superb long-range strike before Baptiste Aloe diverted Benjamin Mendy’s shot home in the sixth minute.
Toulouse’s Francois Moubandje turned Andre Ayew’s dangerous low cross into his own goal under pressure from Lucas Ocampos in the 20th before Batshuayi added his second with a simple finish seconds before halftime.
The hosts improved after the break and pulled a goal back in the 76th when Wissam Ben Yedder’s low shot beat Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.
The visitors’ four-goal advantage was restored two minutes later, however, when the lively Ayew slotted home from a suspiciously offside position.
Andre-Pierre Gignac completed the rout in the 89th minute to compound a miserable night for Toulouse with a low strike into the corner for his 16th Ligue 1 goal of the season.
