Football
2016-17 French Ligue 1, Regular Season
OLM 
1
FT
 PSG
5
PA Sport 7y

Paris Saint-Germain ease past Marseille to go second in Ligue 1

Paris Saint-Germain moved into second place in Ligue 1 by thrashing Marseille 5-1 at Stade Velodrome.

Unai Emery's side climbed above Nice on goal difference and to within three points of leaders Monaco after a victory which again underlined their plentiful scoring options.

Marquinhos and Edinson Cavani -- with his 35th goal of the season -- put the Parisians in command at the break before Lucas Moura, substitute Julian Draxler and Blaise Matuidi wrapped up the easiest of Le Classique victories.

There was a consolation from home defender Rod Fanni, but Marseille's ambitions of playing European football next season appear remote on this evidence.

The hosts were missing their top scorer Bafetimbi Gomis with the 16-goal marksman facing up to six weeks on the sidelines due to knee ligament damage.

Gomis' muscular presence was sorely missed, but Marseille had no answer to PSG's clever movement with their veteran skipper Patrice Evra in particular suffering against the tricky Moura.

Evra got booked for dragging down the Brazilian and was fortunate not to concede a penalty after clattering into Cavani.

The former Manchester United defender was put out of his misery when he was substituted at half-time.

PSG exposed Marseille's vulnerability at set-pieces as early as the sixth minute when the outstanding Marco Verratti flighted a free kick to the far post.

Thiago Silva lost his marker to direct the ball across goal for his fellow centre-back Marquinhos to register his first goal since last May with a firm header.

Layvin Kurzawa then saw his header from a Moura corner tipped over by Yohann Pele before PSG doubled their lead after 16 minutes.

Verratti found Javier Pastore, who was making his first start since the middle of September, and the midfielder's delicious touch allowed Cavani to beat Pele with a contemptuous flick.

Cavani would have added another but for Moura's selfish streak, the winger choosing to shoot instead of setting up an open goal with a simple pass.

Pele pushed aside Moura's effort and Cavani was unable to control the rebound as he attempted an audacious overhead kick.

Dimitri Payet flashed a drive just wide, but it was a rare Marseille excursion into PSG territory and the contest was ended after Silva saw his header ruled out for offside.

Five minutes into the second half Pastore's party piece -- a rabona -- started a move which ended with Moura sneaking in from the right wing to prod home.

Draxler added another within six minutes of his 55th-minute arrival, converting Thomas Meunier's centre as the Marseille defence went missing again.

Fanni did provide Marseille with some cheer after 71 minutes, sweeping home in splendid style after PSG goalkeeper Kevin Trapp had punched unconvincingly.

But PSG restored their four-goal advantage within 60 seconds after Verratti weaved his way through the home defence and Matuidi fired into the roof of the net.

Trapp pushed a Payet shot onto the post in the final quarter, but Marseille's heaviest home defeat of the season left them with plenty to ponder.

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