PSG win 2-0 win at Troyes ahead of Real Madrid clash
ByReuters
Updated 03/03/2018 at 19:04 GMT
Angel Di Maria and Christopher Nkunku scored second half goals as Paris St Germain warmed up for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid with a 2-0 win at Troyes on Saturday.
Paris Saint-Germain's Argentinian forward Angel Di Maria (R) and Paris Saint-Germain's German midfielder Julian Draxler celebrate after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Troyes and Paris Saint-Germain at the Aube Stadium in Troyes
Image credit: Getty Images
Without Neymar, who had a successful operation on a foot injury in Brazil on Saturday, PSG also rested strikers Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe ahead of the crucial second leg of their las-16 tie when they will try to overturn a 3-1 deficit.
Leaders PSG, who hold a comfortable 14-point advantage over second-placed Monaco with 74 points from 28 matches, struggled to break down a side haunted by relegation who defended deep and whose goalkeeper Erwin Zelazny made a string of saves.
Di Maria broke the deadlock when he chipped over the advancing Zelazny two minutes into the second half, which was played in a downpour.
The Argentine was replaced by Dani Alves 10 minutes later as coach Unai Emery looked to keep key players fresh for Tuesday.
Nkunku added the second goal in the 77th minute from a cross by Alves with complaints by Troyes coach Jean-Louis Garcia so vociferous and insistent that he was sent to the stands in the 80th.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2018/03/03/2285634-47611470-2560-1440.jpg)
Paris Saint-Germain's Argentinian forward Angel Di Maria looks on during the French L1 football match between Troyes and Paris Saint-Germain at the Aube Stadium in Troyes on March 3, 2018
Image credit: Getty Images
A minute later, Timothy Weah, son of 1995 world player of the year George Weah, now president of Liberia, was given his Ligue 1 debut by PSG – 8,312 days after his father’s last match for the club in May 1995, according to the sports daily L’Equipe.
Weah might have scored but his late effort was parried by Zelazny. Alves netted the rebound but it was ruled offside.
Neymar had surgery on a foot and ankle injury he suffered last weekend against Olympique de Marseille, which sparked fears he might not be fit for the World Cup in Russia.
"The post-op rehabilitation will begin immediately with the presence of a PSG physiotherapist," the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said.
"He will be re-evaluated in around six weeks in order to specify a possible date when he can return to training."
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement