Edinson Cavani Must Now Build on Goal Against Lorient to Save His PSG Future
Paris Saint-Germain made it a Ligue 1 record of 33 games unbeaten with a 3-1 win over FC Lorient at Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.
The French champions have now overtaken the great FC Nantes side of 1994-95 as the team with the longest run of matches in Le Championnat without tasting defeat.
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Edinson Cavani opened the scoring for the hosts after six minutes in Paris, but Les Merlus’ Raphael Guerreiro equalised with a clinical finish to cap a sublime team move.
It was level at half-time, but Les Parisiens went up a gear in the second 45, and goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Layvin Kurzawa—a superb volley—sealed the three-point haul for Laurent Blanc’s men.
Le President was satisfied with the result when he spoke with the press after the final whistle, but he admitted that one or two things from the game concerned him. However, the 50-year-old reserved special praise for Cavani’s performance in his first Ligue 1 start of 2016:
"We can be satisfied with how things went tonight. The record (33 Ligue 1 matches without defeat) is significant, but about the match itself there are mixed feelings.
We were more reactive than proactive, which is something that hasn't happened for a while. I have a certain responsibility for that. In rotating the squad as much as I have been, it's natural that there would be some difficulties. We could have scored more goals, but then Lorient could have too.
(Edinson) Cavani's good performance delighted me, but individually and collectively we could have done better - and I include myself in that analysis.
"
It was the Uruguay international’s first start in Le Championnat since the 5-1 win over Olympique Lyonnais at Parc des Princes back in early December, and he seized it with both hands by scoring his first goal of 2016 inside the opening seven minutes.
El Matador’s goal itself was well taken. Strike partner Ibrahimovic—who was in chief creator mode for the night—played in the 28-year-old, and he was able to round Lorient goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte before displaying good composure with a neat, simple finish.
It was not just Cavani’s 11th goal of the Ligue 1 season that pleased Blanc; it was the South American’s entire performance.
The PSG No. 9 was far more dangerous than usual, more involved and looked more confident than he has for some time.
Cavani really should have scored again in the second half when played through on goal, but instead the former SSC Napoli man’s deft lobbed effort clipped the post of Lecomte’s goal and went wide.
Despite the miss, the Uruguayan must now build on his encouraging outing against Lorient and try to drum up some momentum so that he can start to put Blanc under a bit of pressure with his attacking selections.
It is unlikely that Cavani will start for PSG in Le Classique away at Olympique de Marseille at Stade Velodrome on Sunday; Ibrahimovic is likely to be flanked by the in-form Angel Di Maria and Lucas Moura instead.
However, the upcoming Coupe de France and Ligue 1 fixtures against Olympique Lyonnais and Lille OSC present him with a good chance to put together some sustained scoring form before the French giants host Chelsea in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
If Cavani can do that, then perhaps the South American star can force his way back into Blanc’s plans before the second leg against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
If El Matador can do that, then scoring a decisive goal in such a big match could be the key to salvaging what has started to look like a damaged relationship between the marksman and PSG in recent weeks.
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