Nice 0 - 3 Paris Saint Germain: Zlatan Ibrahimovic breaks Paris St Germain record with double

Posted Saturday, December 05, 2015 by PA

Zlatan Ibrahimovic struck twice as Paris St Germain extended their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to 16 points with a comfortable 3-0 win at 10-man Nice.

Ibrahimovic had a hand in all three goals and the Sweden striker became the club's outright leading scorer in the French first division with his brace taking him to 87 - two ahead ahead of Mustapha Dahleb.

He took his season tally to 19 by converting a penalty late in the first half and then fired home in the second period after he had set up Edinson Cavani for PSG's 35th-minute opener.

Nice had moments of inspiration, particularly in the first half, but after being reduced to 10 men in the 43rd minute when Niklas Hult was shown a straight red card for his foul on Ibrahimovic, there was only one team in it.

Laurent Blanc's side, unbeaten in 17 league games this season and 26 in total, have now won 12 of their last 14 away matches and showed once again they are the dominant force in French football.

Ibrahimovic went close to giving PSG a 13th-minute lead following Angel Di Maria's fine cross but was denied by Nice goalkeeper Yoan Cardinale and the forward skied his half-volley from eight yards out soon after.

Nice looked slick on the break and Jean Michael Seri's fierce drive at the end of a flowing move was well held by PSG goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, while the impressive Hatem Ben Arfa curled a shot just wide after running half the length of the pitch.

But PSG made the breakthrough 10 minutes before half-time. After playing a one-two with Blaise Matuidi on the edge of the box, Ibrahimovic showed superb vision to slip the ball across the face of goal for Cavani to tap home his 12th goal of the season.

Nice refused to lay down though and defender Mathieu Bodmer spurned a golden chance to equalise when he headed a sliced clearance straight at Trapp.

The home side were made to pay in the 43rd minute when Hult was sent off for hauling down Ibrahimovic from behind at the end of a sweeping PSG move involving Matuidi, Di Maria and Cavani.

Ibrahimovic converted the resulting penalty and 10-man Nice were left with a mountain to climb at the break.

Referee Antony Gautier was replaced by the fourth official early in the second half after appearing to injure a hamstring, while Cardinale reacted brilliantly to keep out Ibrahimovic's header.

Thiago Motta headed over and should have done better following a cross by Di Maria, who then served up a 61st-minute second for Ibrahimovic as the big striker ran on to a pass into the box and slammed home his second inside Cardinale's near post.

Ibrahimovic received a hearty ovation from the travelling Parisiens when replaced by Lucas with 13 minutes remaining, during which time PSG were content to keep possession against tired opponents.