Paris Saint Germain 3 - 0 Nice: Neymar's absence no problem for PSG as they brush aside Nice

Posted Saturday, October 28, 2017 by PA

Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain made light of the absence of world-record signing Neymar as they coasted to a 3-0 victory over Nice.

The B£200million Brazil international was serving a suspension for his sending off last weekend but it mattered little to his team as Edinson Cavani took centre stage.

Uruguay international Cavani scored twice, taking his tally to 64 goals in his last 63 matches for the club, with Dante's own goal denying Dani Alves his first league strike since arriving from Juventus in the summer and putting the game beyond the visitors after just 50 minutes.

PSG were also without the injured Thiago Motta and Thomas Meunier - although Alves was fit enough to return - but such is the strength and depth of their squad that barely warranted a mention such was the comfortable margin of victory.

All the talk was about Cavani who stole the show as he flourished in the absence of Neymar, with whom he has a frosty relationship following their fall-out over who would take a penalty in a game against Lyon in September.

Cavani scored with PSG's first attempt on target in only the third minute, diving in at the near post to head home Angel Di Maria's low free-kick from the left.

Cavani could have doubled the lead midway through the half but was denied by Walter Benitez from Julian Draxler's pass.

He was not to be denied for long, however, as just past the half-hour the 31-year-old timed his run to perfection to latch onto Di Maria's reverse pass over the top, toe poke past the on-rushing Benitez and roll the ball into an empty net.

Playing with confidence - helped by a record which has seen them suffer just one Ligue 1 home defeat in the last three-and-a-half years - it was virtually one-way traffic.

PSG's third and final goal came five minutes after the interval and, in keeping with the rest of the evening, Cavani had a hand in that.

The Uruguayan headed Yuri Berchiche's cross back into the six-yard area where Alves, who had been denied in the first half by Benitez, challenged with Dante with the Nice defender appearing to get the final touch from close range.

There was no way back for Nice, who could find themselves in the bottom three if results go against them at the weekend, with the width of a post preventing Kylian Mbappe making it 4-0.

The win extended PSG's advantage over Monaco, who travel to Bordeaux on Saturday, to seven points.