Angel Di Maria, Jese Rodriguez on target to help PSG defeat Nantes

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:52 am

Paris Saint-Germain moved into second place, level on points with Ligue 1 leaders Monaco and Nice, after Angel Di Maria and Jese Rodriguez's first league goals of the season helped them to a 2-0 win over struggling Nantes.

Di Maria struck after 13 minutes as PSG extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to nine games. Jese's penalty on the stroke of full time was his first goal since joining from Real Madrid and made sure of the win.

After a bright opening to the match, PSG took a deserved lead in the 13th minute. With top scorer Cavani on the bench PSG needed someone to step up and finish off their slick approach play, Di Maria obliged.

The move started down the left as good play from Maxwell and Blaise Matuidi set Jean-Kevin Augustin free in the left side of the penalty area.

Seeing Di Maria arriving late in the box Augustin cheekily found him with a pass through a defender's legs. The Argentinian forward, sometimes wasteful this season, this time finished with aplomb firing a powerful left footed into the bottom right corner of the net.

After being swamped in the opening stages, Nantes almost equalised with their first chance of the game after 25 minutes. A free-kick from Lima was not cleared properly, and after a scramble, the ball fell to Guillaume Gillet in the centre of the box. He fired a right-footed shot towards goal but it was straight at PSG goalkeeper Kevin Trapp who was able to gather the ball.

Despite the scare PSG remained the stronger team and went close on 28 minutes as Di Maria found Lucas Moura free in the centre of the penalty area but his effort was too close to Nantes goalkeeper Remy Riou.

Angel Di Maria opened the scoring for PSG after just 13 minutes.
Xavier Laine/Getty Images

Di Maria then tried himself two minutes later with an ambitious lob from all of 40 yards but it floated just over the crossbar. This was Di Maria's last involvement as he was forced off with a hamstring injury with Hatem Ben Arfa replacing him.

The loss of Di Maria seemed to derail the home side and Trapp had to be at his best to preserve their half-time lead. First on 43 minutes, a Lima corner was inadvertently headed towards his own goal by Thiago Silva and the German shotstopper had to be alert to turn the ball away.

Then, in first half stoppage time, Yacine Bammou tried a lob from the left side of the penalty area, which was heading just under the crossbar but Trapp was just able to get his right hand to the ball to palm it away.

The half-time break seemed to re-energise the home side and 10 minutes into the second period they came so close to doubling their lead. A corner found Matuidi free at the far post, he unleashed a powerful left-footed shot which beat Riou but cannoned back off the post.

After that near miss PSG seemed content to hold Nantes at arm's length and see out their 1-0 win, however in the 90th minute they had the chance to double their margin of victory when they were awarded a penalty.

A long range effort from substitute Javier Pastore was handled by Diego Carlos and referee Francois Letexier pointed to the spot. Jese stepped up and dispatched the penalty with ease, slotting into the bottom left corner with his right foot, sending Riou the wrong way.

The victory means PSG remained unbeaten at home in all competitions this season, however their rise to joint-top of the table could be a temporary one. Early pace setters Nice need just a point from their Sunday trip to St Etienne to reclaim top spot on their own.