Cavani at the double as PSG bounces back
Edinson Cavani scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain eased past Strasbourg to restore its 12-point lead at the top of Ligue 1.
Paris Saint-Germain bounced back from its midweek UEFA Champions League loss to Real Madrid with an ultimately convincing 5-2 win over a spirited Strasbourg in Ligue 1.
A home game against mid-table opponents always appeared on paper to be a perfect hangover cure for PSG, which suffered a 3-1 reverse in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie at Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday (AEDT).
Yet Unai Emery's side did not have it all its own way, with Strasbourg — one of only two sides to beat PSG in the league this season — taking a sixth-minute lead through Jean-Eudes Aholou.
PSG responded with goals from Julian Draxler, Neymar and Angel Di Maria before the break, lifting the mood inside the ground after the early goal had triggered a chorus of boos from the home fans.
While Stephane Bahoken scored to briefly give Strasbourg hope, Edinson Cavani bagged a late brace to make sure PSG would restore its 12-point lead over Monaco at the top of the table.
Strasbourg had arrived in the French capital hoping for a repeat of its shock 2-1 triumph in the reverse fixture, and the early signs were promising when it stunned the hosts by taking a sixth-minute lead.
Aholou arrived in the box at the ideal time to convert Kenny Lala's cut-back cross from the right, a first-time strike giving goalkeeper Alphonse Areola no chance.
However, the goal only served to jolt PSG into life. Draxler capitalised on a loose ball running into his path to sweep in an equaliser with his left foot before Emery's side struck twice in as many minutes to seize control of the contest.
Neymar put PSG ahead when he finished at the second attempt, the Brazilian seizing on the initial save from Alexandre Oukidja to tap into an unguarded net, although not before he had cheekily lifted the ball over two incoming defenders who were desperately trying to prevent the goal.
The home crowd were still celebrating when Strasbourg gifted its opponent a third straight from the restart, Di Maria curling home with his left foot having robbed possession from the dawdling Pablo Martinez.
Neymar steered a first-time shot too close to the Strasbourg goalkeeper early in the second half, while Di Maria was guilty of missing the target completely when teed up by Dani Alves.
The misses did not prove costly in the end, despite receiving a brief scare when Bahoken cut the deficit in half with a first-time drive that flashed in at Areola's right-hand post.
Just as it had done in the opening half, PSG responded in impressive fashion to conceding, Cavani finally getting his name on the scoresheet with a clever dink thanks to Javier Pastore's through ball straight through the heart of the Strasbourg defence.
The Uruguayan striker rounded out the scoring by chipping Oukidja for a second time, taking his tally for the season to 30 as PSG rediscovered its scoring touch ahead of a meeting with Marseille in Le Classique next weekend.
