Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe scored as Paris Saint-Germain responded to their shock midweek League Cup defeat by claiming a 3-0 win at Amiens yesterday to move 13 points clear at the Ligue 1 summit.
PSG had seen their bid for a sixth straight League Cup title ended in midweek by struggling Guingamp at the Parc des Princes, but were too strong for a dogged Amiens.
The reigning French champions remain unbeaten after 18 games of the league season, and sit 13 points ahead of second-placed Lille, with two games in hand.
Thomas Tuchel rested Neymar for the trip to the Stade de la Licorne, and his side struggled to create any chances of note in a drab first half.
PSG were gifted an opportunity to take the lead in the 57th minute when Angel Di Maria’s powerful shot struck the arm of a sliding Alexis Blin from barely a yard away, with the capital club awarded a penalty just three days after conceding three against Guingamp.
Cavani stepped up to slot the ball into the middle of the net and score his 14th goal of the season in all competitions.
An uphill battle became a mountainous one for the home team when Mbappe was hauled down by Khaled Adenon, and after the World Cup winner gestured to the referee to send off the Amiens wing-back, the official obliged by showing the 33-year-old a second yellow card.
It did not take long for Mbappe to take full advantage of Adenon’s dismissal himself, as Cavani found space on the right and crossed low for the forward to tap in his 18th goal this term.
Amiens’ hopes of getting something from the game had long vanished when PSG centre-back Marquinhos ventured forward to divert home Julian Draxler’s cutback to make it three with 11 minutes to play.
Lyon lose ground
Olympique Lyonnais lost ground in the race for second spot in Ligue 1 when they were held 1-1 at home by Stade de Reims while second-placed Lille cruised to a 3-1 win at Caen on Friday.
Three days after being knocked out in the League Cup quarter-finals, Lyon got off on the wrong foot as Pablo Chavarria pounced to put the visitors ahead in the 35th minute.
The hosts pushed after the break and were rewarded when Bertrand Traore’s strike took a deflection off Ghislain Conan for the equaliser 20 minutes from time.
Reims could feel short-changed after substitute Sheyi Ojo was denied by goalkeeper Anthony Lopes in the closing stages.
The result left Lyon in third place on 33 points from 19 games, four points behind Lille, who have played a game more but were never threatened at Caen. Reims stay seventh with 27.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani (left) is congratulated by teammate Kylian Mbappe after scoring during the Ligue 1 match against Amiens at the Licorne stadium in Amiens yesterday. (AFP)
