Paris Saint-Germain are two wins away from defending
their Ligue 1 title after beating Reims 3-0 at the Parc des Princes on
Saturday.
Victory over Hubert Fournier's side takes the capital
club 16 points clear of Monaco, who host Nantes on Sunday, though defeat for
Claudio Ranieri's side will give PSG the chance to wrap up their second
successive title next week at Lyon.
Coach Laurent Blanc was shorn of injured top scorer
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but he will have been buoyed to see Edinson Cavani move to
his favoured position down the middle with ease and score the game's opener.
The Uruguayan's replacement on the right wing, Lucas
Moura, had a big hand in adding a second just after the break, with Aissa Mandi
putting through his own goal.
Things got even worse for the unfortunate Mandi late on
when he scored past his own goalkeeper again to complete a miserable afternoon,
and another routine win for PSG.
PSG used the opportunity to rest several key players
ahead of Tuesday's UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg at Chelsea.
Though 3-1 up from the first leg, the likes of Thiago
Motta, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Blaise Matuidi were all benched ahead of the trip
to west London.
Below-par in the week, Cavani was razor-sharp throughout
the first half and went close 14 minutes in after racing onto Adrien Rabiot's
pass, but Mickael Tacalfred recovered well to deny him.
Reims' attacks were few and far between but Odair Fortes
almost caught Salvatore Sirigu out with a long-distance effort.
Visiting goalkeeper Kossi Agassa was perhaps fortunate
not to concede a penalty with 10 minutes of the half to go after felling the
impressive Lucas, but referee Laurent Duhamel was unmoved.
And PSG's dominance was finally rewarded in the 43rd
minute as Cavani slotted home after good work on the right from Gregory van der
Wiel.
The first half had seen Blanc's side frustrated, but they
were quick to strike again after the break.
PSG's left-back Lucas Digne fashioned an opening down the
left before the teenager's cross was headed towards goal by Lucas and deflected
in by the hapless Mandi.
Cavani had a gilt-edged chance to double his tally 10
minutes into the second period, but he drilled his effort wide, with Jeremy
Menez also shooting off-target soon afterwards.
Mandi then passed up a chance to redeem his earlier slip,
heading Floyd Ayite's free-kick over the crossbar as PSG sat back in hopes of
preserving their lead.
Lavezzi emerged from the bench to replace Cavani with 25
minutes to go and saw a penalty appeal waved away after going down under a
challenge from Tacalfred.
And with Chelsea on the horizon, PSG easily kept up their
winning habit as Mandi inexplicably turned past Agassa for a second time with
two minutes to go, securing the hosts an 11th-consecutive victory in all
competitions ahead of the trip to London.
Culled from Soccerway
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