PSG thrash Sochaux

PSG bounced back from their shock defeat against Evian in midweek with a 5-0 thumping of Ligue 1 strugglers Sochaux.

Paris St Germain bounced back from their shock defeat against Evian in midweek with a 5-0 thumping of Ligue 1 basement boys Sochaux. The champions saw their 26-game unbeaten league run ended on Wednesday night, but there was never any danger of them being beaten on Saturday as they crushed a Sochaux side that has won just one league game all season. Thiago Silva had PSG 1-0 up at the break and they dominated the second half as goals from Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani, plus a late brace from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, sealed a comfortable win. The first chance fell to the league leaders as Blaise Matuidi sent Ibrahimovic clear and the Swede beat two defenders before firing wide. Matuidi and Ibrahimovic combined again in the 14th minute and this time it did result in a goal as the latter's cross found Thiago Silva who volleyed home. Les Parisiens were utterly dominant and should have doubled their lead just after the half hour when Maxwell's cross found Cavani but he could only head over the bar. Cavani had another chance a minute before the break, but this time Pierrick Cros denied him with a smart save. The second half was just a minute old when PSG eventually scored their second. Thiago Motta gathered the ball in midfield and found Lavezzi who slotted home from close range. Cavani had been proving a nuisance all afternoon and he got his goal just after the hour as he volleyed home from Ibrahimovic's flick on. Rafael Dias and Emmanuel Mayuka both brought smart saves from Salvatore Sirigu as Sochaux tried to battle their way back into the game, but the contest was effectively ended when Ibrahimovic curled home a free-kick with five minutes to play. And Ibrahimovic took his league tally for the season to 13 shortly after when he connected with Cavani's cross at the far post.