Paris Saint-Germain returned to the top of the Ligue 1 table with a 3-1 victory over OGC Nice at the Allianz Riviera.
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Despite bagging three, PSG’s triumph wasn’t as straightforward as the scoreline may suggest, with both sides having chances during an exciting second half.
Javier Pastore—recently named by Manchester United legend Eric Cantona as the best player in the world—was the game’s outstanding individual.
The Argentine opened the scoring on 39 minutes after finishing well after an excellent pass from right-sided forward Lucas Moura.
PSG’s lead was short-lived, however, as Mathieu Bodmer—a former Paris player—tapped in from close range as the reigning champions failed to clear their lines from a corner.
In the second period, both sides had chances to take the lead.
Simon Pouplin was forced into a fine save from David Luiz, while the Brazil international saw another effort come off the crossbar. At the other end, Salvatore Sirigu had to be at his best to keep Gregoire Puel at bay.
While PSG looked lethargic, Pastore appeared to find a second gear and fired Laurent Blanc’s side ahead just after the hour mark.
Any chance of a Nice comeback was extinguished six minutes later as the previously muted Edinson Cavani scored from the spot.