Neymar sparkles as PSG thrash Bordeaux

Neymarscored twice, including a first-half penalty, and created another goalas Paris Saint-Germain hammered previously unbeaten Bordeaux 6-2 inLigue 1 yesterday. The Brazilian curled in a brilliant 30-yard free-kickafter just five minutes at the Parc des Princes before sliding inEdinson Cavani to double the lead seven minutes later.ThomasMeunier’s excellent side-footed finish made it 3-0 to PSG on 21 minutes,but Bordeaux hit back on the half hour as Younousse Sankhare appliedthe final touch to a slick team move. PSG were then awarded a penalty,the first since a row between Neymar and Cavani over spot-kick dutiesovershadowed a 2-0 win against Lyon a fortnight ago, with Neymar thistime stepping up to convert.Julian Draxler volleyed in a superbfifth before half-time and Kylian Mbappe added another on 58 minutes,while Malcom scored a late penalty for Bordeaux, as PSG pulled threepoints clear of defending champions Monaco at the top.Unai Emeryrested captain Thiago Silva for the visit of third-place Bordeaux, whoarrived in the capital trailing PSG by just four points after sevenmatches. The hosts brushed aside five-time European champions BayernMunich 3-0 in midweek and the gap in class yesterday was evident fromthe start against Jocelyn Gourvennec’s team.With Monaco droppingpoints in Friday’s 1-1 draw at home to Montpellier, PSG immediatelysignalled their intent as three quick-fire goals left Bordeaux seekingto limit the damage. Neymar struck early as his magnificent free-kickflashed beyond a helpless Benoit Costil, with the Brazilian then playingin Cavani to poke in his eighth league goal of the season on 12minutes.PSG were further in front when Yuri Berchiche’s cross fromthe left skipped past Mbappe but Meunier ran onto it and the Belgianinternational steered past Costil. Bordeaux replied on 31 minutes afterTheo Pellenard demonstrated remarkable composure to thread in Nicolas dePreville who squared for Sankhare to tap into an empty net.But asenseless handball from Otavio gifted PSG a penalty and Neymar, ratherthan Cavani whose effort in the Lyon win on September 17 was saved,tucked away the spot-kick for his sixth league goal. Draxler made itfive in style on the stroke of half-time when he fired in from Mbappe’sfloated cross, and the French teenager notched a goal of his own on 58minutes after he was released in behind the defence by the German.Bordeauxsubstitute Alexandre Mendy smacked the outside of the post on 69minutes while a shot from Neymar whistled just wide after a cleverexchange with Draxler. Brazilian Malcom, who extended his contract withBordeaux until 2021 this week, netted a consolation in the final minuteafter Jonathan Cafu was fouled in the area by Meunier.On Friday,champions Monaco were held to a 1-1 draw by Montpellier as SouleymaneCamara struck an injury-time equaliser. After a slow start, Monacostruck first in the 38th minute as  hot Radamel Falcao slid in to score,but  Camara stunned the home crowd.French Ligue 1 resultsParis SG 6 (Neymar 5, 40-pen, Cavani 12, Meunier 21, Draxler 45, Mbappe 58) Bordeaux 2 (Sankhare 31, Malcom 90-pen); Dijon 1 (Kwon 78) Strasbourg 1 (Terrier 90+2); Guingamp1 (Thuram 1) Toulouse 1 (Somalia 40); Nantes 1 (Sala 3) Metz 0; Rennes 0Caen 1 (Bensebaini 35-og); Amiens v Lille - match abandoned due tocrowd safety incidentPlaying Today: Troyes v Saint-Etienne (1300),Angers v Lyon (1500), Nice v Marseille (1900). On Friday: Monaco 1(Falcao 38) Montpellier 1 (Camara 90+2)