Caen vs. PSG: Winners and Losers from Ligue 1 Game
Paris Saint-Germain finished their 2015 Ligue 1 obligations in style with a 3-0 win away at Stade Malherbe Caen on Saturday. The victory gives the French champions a provisional 20-point lead at the summit of Le Championnat.
Two goals from the in-form Angel Di Maria and stunning strike from Zlatan Ibrahimovic secured three more points for Laurent Blanc’s men at Stade Michel d’Ornano. The big story from PSG’s win in Lower Normandy, though, is that they have now set a new record points tally for the halfway stage of a Ligue 1 campaign.
Before the Caen win, Olympique Lyonnais’ 50 points from the midway point of the 2006-07 season was the highest points total. Les Parisiens’ win took them to 51 points from 19 matches and sets a new record in Le Championnat.
On top of that, PSG are now on the capital club’s best-ever unbeaten run of 28 games in Ligue 1.
Coach Laurent Blanc expressed his delight with the win and the broken record to PSG's website (in French) after the final whistle in Caen. Le President also spoke of his satisfaction at the progress made over 2015 and stated his hope that his players start the new year with the same hunger.
Here are some winners and losers from PSG’s 3-0 win away at Caen.
Winner: Angel Di Maria
1 of 6
It has been a fantastic week for Angel Di Maria. After three assists in the 5-1 slaughtering of Lyon on Sunday and another goal laid on in the 1-0 home win over AS Saint-Etienne in the Coupe de la Ligue on Wednesday, the Argentina international scored twice in the 3-0 win away at Caen.
The South American’s opener was straightforward enough, after some poor defending from the hosts, but his second was an impudent lobbed effort from close range after Lucas Moura had headed the ball down.
Two goals, four assists and a key role in three wins in less than seven days is impressive stuff from Di Maria, especially considering that he did not even start the win over Saint-Etienne.
The 27-year-old has six goals and nine assists in Ligue 1 alone this season, and he can arguably get better still.
Loser: Andy Delort
2 of 6
Caen’s leading scorer with six Ligue 1 goals, Andy Delort was the greatest threat PSG faced coming into the clash at Stade Michel d’Ornano.
However, the Frenchman was given few chances during the game and was a frustrated figure once again as Patrice Garande’s men failed to break out of their recent slump in form.
Delort’s misery was complete when he saw a poor penalty saved by Kevin Trapp after PSG captain Thiago Silva had fouled him.
Winner: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
3 of 6
He may have failed to score in the 1-0 win over Saint-Etienne, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic rediscovered his scoring touch in spectacular fashion in Lower Normandy.
The super Swede smashed home an unstoppable volley from outside the penalty area for his 15th Ligue 1 goal in 14 appearances.
Like against Saint-Etienne, the 34-year-old went close with a spectacular acrobatic effort. However, instead of hitting the woodwork, this time he was denied by Caen goalkeeper Remy Vercoutre’s outstretched foot.
Loser: Patrice Garande
4 of 6
While Angers SCO made life difficult for PSG in their 0-0 draw a few weeks ago, Caen were unable to adopt a similar tactic and failed to keep Les Parisiens at bay as well as Le SCO did.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s goal was unstoppable, and no matter who was in goal or in defence, nobody could have stopped it from going in. However, Angel Di Maria’s pair—especially the first—could have been avoided with better defending.
Patrice Garande should have set his side up better in order to able to deal with PSG’s attacking threats, and defender Syam Ben Youssef should have dealt with Serge Aurier’s low cross from the right more thoroughly.
Winner: Kevin Trapp
5 of 6
Kevin Trapp was rightly criticised for his error in the 5-1 win over Lyon and then rested as part of Laurent Blanc’s squad rotation policy for the 1-0 win over Saint-Etienne, but he bounced back with a solid showing in the 3-0 win away at Caen.
The German goalkeeper was calm and composed, and he concentrated for the full 90 minutes in order to avoid any lapses and potential mistakes.
Trapp was not forced to make any spectacular saves, but the 25-year-old’s stop from Andy Delort’s late penalty was his second of the season and the third time that an opponent has failed to score from the spot against him this campaign across all competitions.
Loser: Thiago Silva
6 of 6
Kevin Trapp’s penalty save bailed his captain, Thiago Silva, out against Caen. The Brazilian had conceded the spot-kick and got a yellow card for his foul on Andy Delort.
It was a soft decision against the PSG skipper, but it continued the South American’s clumsy habit of conceding penalties in 2015.
Silva has enjoyed a superlative season so far, and if he can cut out those occasional lapses in concentration that lead to those sorts of concessions, then he may well lead PSG to new heights in the second half of the term and get himself back into the Brazil national team.
