PSG start season with win over Lyon
MONTREAL – Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) started the new season at the weekend just as they ended the old, lifting silverware in the shape of the French Champions Trophy, thanks to a 2-0 win over Lyon.
Two early goals by Serge Aurier and Edinson Cavani put PSG in control of the traditional season opening contest and left Lyon with a mountain to climb long before their captain Maxime Gonalons was sent off in the 64th minute.
Having completed an unprecedented clean sweep of the domestic honours in France last season, this win underlined their status as the team to beat again in the coming campaign.
Tipped to be their main challengers once more, Lyon were invited to face the treble winners after finishing second to them in Ligue 1 last season.
But, weakened by a series of injuries to key players and by the absence of suspended starlet Nabil Fekir, Lyon never looked like winning the game.
A strong PSG side featuring German summer signing Kevin Trapp in goal opened the scoring in the 11th minute as the Lyon defence failed to clear a free-kick into the box and David Luiz drove the ball back into the six-yard box for his fellow defender Aurier to head home.
The second goal arrived just six minutes later when Anthony Lopes saved from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cavani lashed home the loose ball.
With last season’s top scorer and player of the year Alexandre Lacazette unable to make an impression, Lyon offered little at the other end and Blaise Matuidi missed a great chance to increase PSG’s lead after Lopes saved from Ibrahimovic’s extravagant back-heeled effort.
“The mood in the camp is good. It is early days but we have prepared well. The season will be long. We have spent 18 days abroad, so we are looking forward to going home, seeing our families again and resting before the season starts,” Matuidi told –