PSG TURN HEAT ON NICE

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN closed to within a point of leaders Nice in Ligue 1 yesterday as Edinson Cavani’s brace secured an impressive 2-1 win away to Lyon. Cavani opened the scoring with a penalty only for Mathieu Valbuena to equalise, but the Uruguayan headed in the winner nine minutes from time for his 18th goal of the season in all competitions. Nice, who were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Bastia earlier in the day, finish the weekend where they started it, on top of the table, but they are now only a single point better off than in-form Monaco and Paris. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy here but we ended up winning. I think our experience made the difference,” PSG midfielder Blaise Matuidi told Canal Plus. Nice were again missing Mario Balotelli against Bastia due to a calf injury but they went in front at the Allianz Riviera when top scorer Alassane Plea headed in his eighth of the season early on. However, struggling Bastia equalised on the hour as Enzo Crivelli followed up to score after goalkeeper Yoan Cardinale had come out and saved from Yannick Cahuzac. “We didn’t get the breaks that have helped us before when we have not played so well,” admitted Nice coach Lucien Favre. “We scored quite early on and then, maybe subconsciously, we started to relax. All our matches against teams towards the bottom of the table have been difficult.”