PSG fight to go six clear on top

A ThomasMeunier brace gave Paris Saint-Germain a hard-fought 2-1 win at Dijon inLigue 1 yesterday after the hosts thought they’d earned a late drawthrough Benjamin Jeannot’s stunning volley.The result gives PSG a six-point lead over second-placed Monaco who lost 3-2 at Lyon on Friday.Ina packed and raucous stadium, Dijon made a real fight of it as a PSGside deprived of Edinson Cavani, Marco Verratti, Thiago Motta, ThiagoSilva and Layvin Kurzawa were given a rough time by the hosts.AngelDi Maria, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe could have scored a hatful and PSGhit the woodwork twice before their go-ahead goal on 70 minutes.Belgianright-back Meunier held his nerve to slot the opening goal past proneDijon goalkeeper Baptiste Reynet, who had just parried a shot in whatwas an excellent performance.His teammate Jeannot’s goal will be acontender for goal of the season, running at full tilt he fired aleft-footed volley with such force in the 87th minute it left PSG keeperAlphonse Areola rooted to the spot.The rapture was short-livedhowever as Meunier again calmly slotted home as Mbappe put the ball on aplatter for him deep into injury time.“It was a small dose of destiny,” Meunier told reporters.Meunierhas now scored three league goals in his last two appearances, furtherstrengthening his case for inclusion in Wednesday’s Champions League tieat Anderlecht.“We knew it would be tough but we were not expectingto have to fight like that,” France midfielder Adrien Rabiot told Frenchtelevision after the game.“For them it was their game of the season and their mentality and team spirit made us use up a great deal of energy.”