Neymar and Cavani strike again as PSG go 10 points clear
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain vs Troyes - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - November 29, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani celebrates scoring their second goal with Neymar REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
PARIS (Reuters) - Neymar and Edinson Cavani, Paris St Germain's deadly double act, again delivered a goal apiece in a sluggish 2-0 victory over Troyes that took them 10 points clear of their Ligue 1 challengers on Wednesday.
While their nearest chasers lost, Olympique Lyonnais succumbing 2-1 at home to struggling Lille and Monaco falling 1-0 at Nantes after a last-gasp Lucas Lima thunderbolt, PSG marched on without ever hitting top gear.
They left it late as a brilliant Neymar strike in the 73rd minute, his 15th PSG goal in all competitions, eased nerves at the Parc des Princes before the Brazilian set up Cavani, who had a first-half penalty saved, to score in stoppage time.
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain vs Troyes - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - November 29, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani celebrates with Marco Verratti REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
The pair had a spirited debate over who should take the penalty, with Cavani winning the argument, but they worked in perfect harmony for the Uruguayan's 23rd goal, stretching his lead as top marksman in Europe's major leagues this season.
The losses for Lyon and Monaco enabled Olympique de Marseille, with their emphatic 3-0 win at bottom club Metz, to move into second place but they are 10 points adrift of unbeaten PSG, who moved on to 41 points after 15 games.
Third-placed Lyon and Monaco, both on 29 points, were left two points behind Marseille.
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain vs Troyes - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - November 29, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
PSG had seemed out of sorts against mid-table opponents they had hammered 9-0 in their last meeting when sealing the title in 2016, but looked to be in charge once Cavani earned the penalty with a theatrical fall under Karim Azamoum's shirt tug.
Just as during a game against Lyon in September when the pair argued over who should take the set-piece duties, Cavani won the day but his 40th minute spot kick was saved by Mamadou Samassa, who was way off his line as the ball was struck.
Neymar, who never stopped trying to galvanise the side, took his one chance superbly, marauding to the edge of the box before unleashing a left-foot shot worthy of the world's most expensive player.
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain vs Troyes - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - November 29, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain’s Giovani Lo Celso in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Champions Monaco's miserable spell continued after their Champions League exit and weekend loss to PSG when Nantes' Brazilian substitute Lima cracked home a left foot half-volley to give Claudio Ranieri's side a well deserved win.
Lyon's eight-match unbeaten run in the league was ended surprisingly by Lille, whose goals from Thiago Mendes and Ezequiel Ponce were both aided by poor defending.
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain vs Troyes - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - November 29, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain’s Presnel Kimpembe and Giovani Lo Celso in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
(Reporting by Ian Chadband, editing by Ed Osmond and Toby Davis)
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain vs Troyes - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - November 29, 2017 Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar in action with Troyes’ Mathieu Deplagne REUTERS/Benoit TessierSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais vs Lille - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - November 29, 2017 Lille’s players celebrate after the match REUTERS/Robert PrattaSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais vs Lille - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - November 29, 2017 Lyon's Memphis Depay in action with Lille’s Edgar Ie REUTERS/Robert PrattaSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais vs Lille - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - November 29, 2017 Lyon's Nabil Fekir in action REUTERS/Robert PrattaSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Nantes vs Monaco - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - November 29, 2017 Monaco's Jorge in action with Nantes' Valentin Rongier REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais vs Lille - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - November 29, 2017 Lyon's Mariano celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates REUTERS/Robert PrattaSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais vs Lille - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - November 29, 2017 Lyon's Mariano celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Robert PrattaSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais vs Lille - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - November 29, 2017 Lille’s Ezequiel Ponce in action with Lyon's Marcelo REUTERS/Robert PrattaSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Nantes vs Monaco - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - November 29, 2017 Nantes' Abdoulaye Toure in action with Monaco's Joao Moutinho REUTERS/Stephane MaheSoccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais vs Lille - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - November 29, 2017 Lyon's Houssem Aouar in action with Lille’s Fode Ballo-Toure REUTERS/Robert Pratta
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